8. SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL
THE QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL now boasts a state-of-the-art medical intensive care unit (MICU) thanks to the generous donations of the World Bank, Broadway to Barbados Charitable Trust, and Rotary Barbados. The 11-bed unit which was officially opened in July features the latest medical equipment, monitors, computerised beds that help to adequately treat and manage patients. While the plans for expansion started back in 2006 when the MICU was only a six-bed unit and catered primarily for cardiac care, the modern and well designed facility can accommodate a wide range of patient needs. “We are getting our doctors to the point where they are practising medicine on par with the United States, and we have the equipment we need to make quick decisions,” said intensive care physician and head of the MICU and the QEH’s Department of Medicine, Dr Anne-Marie Hassell. “I brought doctors in from overseas to train them on the machines which proved to be a cheaper alternative than going overseas to do a course which is US$6 000 a person and there are three parts to the course. “The doctors will come in again next year to do the second level of training so that all of my junior staff will be trained up to a certain level using the machines. “They will be able to do invasive procedures safely on patients, they’ll be able to assess cardiac function and certain radiology things so that we don’t have to wait and depend
NOVEMBER 23, 2014
on other services. ” Hassell, who has worked in the MICU since returning to Barbados back in 1999, is extremely pleased with the growth of the unit since the early days. Upon her arrival, the MICU, which was originally opened in 1976 by the late Dr Richie Haynes, was only a six-bed unit. But the demand for care in the unit was always great and very often they ended up having too many patients but not enough space to treat them. Back then, Hassell was the only intensivist on staff and now she has two other intensive care doctors, one like herself that was trained in the United States. “In the States, you have to recertify every ten years, so you have to keep up with what’s going on and that has helped us bring the standard up constantly,” Hassell said. “As soon as something new comes up and we feel that we can afford to get the equipment, we do the training and then we get our doctors trained. So we’re keeping the level of expertise up to par. We may not be able to do everything that they do overseas but we can give a significant level of care here.” According to Hassell none of the new equipment in the MICU would be possible without the help of the Broadway to Barbados Charitable Trust and the World Bank. “The World Bank had funds for HIV/AIDS and we take care of a lot of HIV patients in the
DR ANNE-MARIE HASSELL, head of the MICU. (FP)
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CONGRATULATIONS & heartfelt thanks!
Happy 50th Anniversary
The Management and Staff of Exclusive Lighting & Electrical Supplies Ltd are proud to join with fellow Barbadians in recognizing the love and care that the QEH has provided us and our loved-ones for the past 50 years.
to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Manor Lodge Complex, Lodge Hill, St. Michael Tel: (246) 421-6946 Fax: (246) 421-6907 E-mail: elcock@elcock.com