Hamilton’s Braemar Hospital has become the second largest private hospital in New Zealand with the completion of a new $6.5m 18-bed surgical wing.
The new wing, the final part of the second stage of the charitable hospital’s development was opened recently by the outgoing Braemar Charitable Trust chair Victoria Ashplant.
It brings the number of beds to 109, making the hospital New Zealand’s second largest private hospital on a single site, after St George’s Hospital in Christchurch, with 115 beds.
Braemar Hospital chief executive Fiona Michel said the milestone was another significant achievement in the hospital’s 97-year history.
“We are proud of the growth achieved, but also of our continued commitment to recognising and serving the needs of the Waikato community.”
She said an awareness of changing social and clinical needs in the population dictated decisions to expand, to buy new equipment and to provide space which helped healing. The new wing has a dedicated whaanau room where family can have private time while accessing outdoor space on the roof garden.
“We always take a holistic approach to design. Optimal healing requires us to meet a range of needs.”
The hospital has also been actively supporting the public health system.
“Private hospitals are now a very significant part of the health solution. Last year, Braemar experienced an incredible upswing in patient demand. We have had record numbers of patients (over 1000 a month). There are well documented bottlenecks in healthcare. We need to ensure each part of the supply chain is able to cope and that we are not restrained by availability of staff, post-theatre beds and equipment – so developments like our new wing will make a tangible difference for our community.”
Braemar was also seeing patients with increasingly complex needs. “Not all private hospitals have the capability to support complex cases that need one-on-one care, but it’s something that Braemar has always been committed to.”
Investment in equipment and clinical innovation continued to drive decisions around future capacity and efficiency. The hospital’s most recent purchase was a Velys robot used in knee surgery. “New tech can improve recovery times. Procedures are more targeted and the patient impact is reduced.”
Technological advances also affect throughput, which influences future planning. “Technology provides solutions over time. What hospitals may have considered essential years ago, may have already been solved by technological innovation. Leading-edge is constantly being redefined in health.”
The hospital has plans to further expand on its 4ha site beside Waikato Hospital. The hospital currently has nearly 200 credentialed specialists, 11 operating theatres and five HDU/ICU beds.
