Healesville and District Hospital has welcomed geriatrician/palliative care consultant Dr Jonathon Marriott and registrar Dr Anderson Ong, who will provide extra medical support for patients in the local area who need hospital treatment.

From 12 April 2010, Dr Marriott will visit two days per week and Dr Ong will attend the hospital each morning.
 
“This will provide for more consistent medical coverage for our admitted patients and support local GPs, who may refer patients for admission under the care of the consultant and registrar,” said Martin Smith, Chief of Clinical and Site Operations, Yarra Ranges.  
 
“We expect that admission of geriatric evaluation management (GEM) patients (generally older people who have complex, chronic or multiple health conditions requiring treatment and stabilisation) will be more timely.
 
“The change will also support us in managing demand across our health service, in that we will be able to transfer patients from other Eastern Health facilities to Healesville and District Hospital if appropriate.
 
“Obstetric and surgical patients will continue to be cared for by their admitting GP or surgeon.
 
“This will strengthen our service provision, enabling patients who have received treatment at other Eastern Health facilities to continue their care at our hospital where appropriate.”
 
Healesville and District Hospital will continue to treat low acuity, acute patients who are medically stable and do not require extensive investigation or specialist care. All requests for admissions will continue to be made via the Nurse Unit Manager or nurse in charge.
 
There is no onsite after-hours medical presence at Healesville and District Hospital and the closest emergency department is located at Maroondah Hospital in Ringwood East.
 
About Healesville and District Hospital
Established in 1957, Healesville and District Hospital is a 19-bed acute hospital in the Yarra Valley that provides low-risk maternity services managed by local general practitioners and basic elective surgical services, as well as general medical and rehabilitation services. Five beds are sub-acute and we have one operating theatre. We serve an area of some 2000 square kilometres, including the townships of Healesville, Yarra Junction, Warburton and Yarra Glen, as well as smaller rural communities. We are co-located with the residential aged-care facility Monda Lodge and Yarra Valley Community Health; and work closely with local health services to support our community’s overall health and wellbeing.  
 
About Eastern Health
Eastern Health is one of Victoria’s largest public health services. It provides a range of acute, sub-acute, mental health and community health services across 23 locations. Its larger facilities include: Angliss Hospital in Upper Ferntree Gully, Box Hill Hospital in Box Hill, Healesville & District Hospital in Healesville, Maroondah Hospital in Ringwood East, Peter James Centre in Burwood East, Wantirna Health in Wantirna, Yarra Ranges Health in Lilydale and Yarra Valley Community Health in Healesville.
 
Media information: Christine Elmer, Eastern Health Communications & Community Relations, ph 03 9895 3245 or 0448 535 109.