IN an effort to create a safe and unforgettable hospital experience for patients, The Avenues Clinic has now entered its second phase of its facility’s refurbishment project.
The refurbishment project which commenced in 2018 is part of a US$10 million capital injection which was partly funded by Nedbank. The refurbishment is three phased and commenced with giving a face lift to the ablution facilities before moving to other sections of the health institution.
The Avenues Clinic fosters ideal safety standards against possible Covid-19 spread
Healthcare is the backbone of any existing society and as a nation our part is to make sure that we continue to make sure that we assist in upholding its functionality.
The Avenues Clinic which is now within the second phase of its refurbishment exercise remains a preferred provider as it constantly evolves and adapts with the times. After opening its doors in 1983, the hospital has over the years embarked on continuous improvement exercises for its processes, service training, equipment upgrades and the ambience. According to the hospital’s management, this current refurbishment exercise is, deliberately focused on its look and feel to enhance patient experience throughout the facility.
During this Covid-19 pandemic, maintaining a safe space is a critical area of concern for all businesses particularly those within essential services such as healthcare institutions. As the world economies slowly reopen as evidenced by countries easing up on lockdown conditions including in Zimbabwe, the need to adapt to a new safer normal on everyday basics has become more apparent.
Be that as it may, when it comes to ensuring the safety of people within our new world, healthcare institutions are held at a higher standard in comparison to other organisations. The concern that comes with healthcare centres stems from the valid fact that the possibility of them becoming epicentres of the disease spread is significantly high due to the daily exposure to ill people, as first points of reference for those in need of medical attention. The growing number of cases in the country also adds onto the growing concern to uphold a stricter approach within health institutions for healthcare support continuity.
One institution whose standards have been exemplary and a benchmark for most, is The Avenues Clinic which is the flagship hospital for Medical Investments Limited. As traffic to the hospital continues to increase post the initial lockdown period, the hospital has taken the guidance of its internationally respected infection prevention experts and recommendations from the World Health organisation (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) seriously. A number of steps have been implemented in addition to their standard rigorous infection control measures, all to ensure the facility and its associated units remain safe for everyone. That way, patients can confidently receive the clinic’s cutting-edge care.
Screening Tent
The hospital was one of the first to set up a screening tent to make sure everyone who visits the hospital, including employees, gets screened by the main entrance. The screening makes up the hospital’s first layer of safety and is quite thorough. Temperature checks and hand sanitisation are done at that point for everyone entering the hospital premises, noting that only one entrance and exit point is open to minimise traffic entering using undesignated points. Screening is also done at the hospital’s ambulance bay for patients who go through as emergencies. The screening set up at the main gate is made up of two tents, one of which is for screening and the other one for isolation in the event of a suspected Covid-19 case. According to the hospital’s Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) standards, it is not enough to detect an anomaly or identify a case that meets the definition of a suspected Covid-19 case. In addition to that detection, it is important to ensure all detected cases are isolated and tested instantly.
Personal Protective Equipment
Though the hospital currently cares for non-Covid-19 patients only, all healthcare personnel across the facility are always donned in personal protective equipment (PPE) recommended for the different work areas by the WHO and the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC). In addition to the PPE, a team within the structures of the hospital has been identified to ensure staff properly put on, take off and dispose of PPE for the safety of the staff as well as that of the patients.
Rapid Diagnostic Testing (RDT)
In true support of their IPC policies, the hospital recently started screening for the Covid-19 using rapid diagnostic testing (RDT), adding onto their safety layers of ensuring the hospital remains safe for all. Onsite testing not only guarantees quick turnaround times on results but ensures patients receive timely intervention and treatment. Setting up onsite diagnostic services has also always been one of the hospital’s main sources of pride even across other ancillary services as they also offer onsite pathology and radiology services, making themselves known as a one stop shop within the private healthcare industry.
Temporary Isolation and Management
While there is no history of confirmed positive Covid-19 cases at the hospital to date, there is a set up prepared to manage a patient after they are confirmed as a positives case, awaiting evacuation to designated isolation centres without spreading to staff and other patients.
Enhanced disinfection process
The hospital employs a Covid-19 trained disinfection team which is always on standby to sanitise the environment every 3 hours. When you come across this team, you need not be alarmed as they are there to take care of your safety, donned in the recommended PPE, and carrying knapsacks at the back. The disinfection team also uses WHO-recommended disinfection solutions for hospital environments.
Revised Visiting times
Covid-19 is not only fatal in some cases, but it is extremely infectious and as such should be kept away from all our essential services. To minimise the number of people coming to the hospital, patient visitors have been limited to one per patient and the visiting times have also been reviewed.
Door to door pharmacy needs delivery
A delivery system for pharmacy needs has also been introduced to ensure people stay safe at home and still get their vital stocks replenished. The hospital encourages members of the public to take advantage of this delivery system to minimise movements in search of drugs and medical sundries.
Designated Covid-19 facility
In an effort to contribute directly towards the fight against Covid-19, The Avenues Clinic set up a trust and offered one of its units, Montagu Clinic, to be used as a testing, isolation and treatment centre for Covid-19. Work to mobilise funding is currently underway in order to equip the unit to deal with potential and confirmed Covid-19 cases.
The future
There is need to continue to acknowledge and encourage the positive work that our healthcare workers are doing during these difficult times. Healthcare workers are front liners in the Covid-19 battle, and we are thankful to some corporates who have acknowledged their efforts through various means with some offering free Covid-19 health cover.
Healthcare is the backbone of any existing society and as a nation our part is to make sure that we continue to make sure that we assist in upholding its functionality. The Avenues Clinic which is now within the second phase of its refurbishment exercise remains a preferred provider as it constantly evolves and adapts with the times. After opening its doors in 1983, the hospital has over the years embarked on continuous improvement exercises for its processes, service training, equipment upgrades and the ambience. According to the hospital’s management, this current refurbishment exercise is, deliberately focused on its look and feel to enhance patient experience throughout the facility.
