Equipped with a state-of-the-art radiology and intensive care unit (ICU), Ermelo Hospital strives to give the best medical care possible.
The Highvelder spoke to the medical manager, Dr I.I. Gòmez, to find out why it is rated among the best hospitals in the province.
Ermelo is a Level 2 hospital that receives referrals from Bethal, Standerton, Piet Retief, Carolina, Volksrust and Amersfoort daily.
The hospital offers several services from different clinical domains, including internal medicine, paediatrics, neonatology, gynaecology and obstetrics, orthopaedics, general surgery, ophthalmology, radiology, anaesthesia, mental health, oral and dental and intensive care, with 14 specialists.
Although Ermelo is one of three government hospitals in the province equipped with a digital radiology unit, it is the only fully functional one with a full-time appointed radiographer and radiologist.
Gone are the days of big X-ray films that have to be developed and are sometimes lost.
Now with the push of a button images appear on a monitor, the radiologist writes a report on screen with all the information saved on the data base, the physician can access the report immediately.
This fully digitalised department offers a CT scan facility, fluoroscopes and a state-of-the-art digital X-ray machine that has been operational since last year.
The radiology department renders services to other provincial and private hospitals.
The ICU opened its doors 18 months ago.
This 10-bed unit with a current capacity of four boasts the latest technology and has specialised nursing staff and physicians.
According to the ICU specialist physician, Dr C. Goméz, the unit averages 14 patients a month with a low mortality rate.
He said hygiene was key, keeping the intra-hospital infection rate at bay.
“Before we opened the unit, we did a lot of research to learn about ICU procedures, both on a national and international level.
This enabled us to use this guideline and apply it to protocol to function in the right manner from the word go,” said Dr C. Goméz.
Ermelo Hospital invites the community to attend the open day on 23 February and experience the services this hospital has to offer.
It is also an opportunity for the leadership to meet with the community they serve and share successes and challenges.
