A patient transport service will be introduced to ensure the new $96 million St Stephen’s Hospital Hervey Bay is accessible to Maryborough residents when it opens next week.
St Stephen’s Hospital Hervey Bay is the first fully-integrated digital hospital to be opened in regional Australia, and will transform the quality of healthcare available to the Fraser Coast’s growing population.
A courtesy transport service for patients and visitors will operate from the Maryborough Medical Centre to the new hospital. Initially, this will be a free service which will run three times per day, Monday to Friday, co-ordinated with the hospital’s surgical times.
Bookings are essential, so patients and visitors who would like to use the transport service are urged to reserve their place the day before they wish to travel. Bookings can be made at the Maryborough Medical Centre, on the corner of Sussex Street and John Street in Maryborough, or by calling 4123 8500.
Christensen House, which provides short-term accommodation to patients and their families, and which was made possible by a generous donation from the Christensen family, will also open on Monday.
It is located in close proximity to the hospital, making it a bit easier for out-of-town patients who may have to make several trips to the hospital or family members who would like to stay by their sides.
Meanwhile, discussions are ongoing in an effort to enable the former site of the St Stephen’s Hospital Maryborough to continue to be used for community healthcare, but no final decisions have yet been reached.
As part of UnitingCare Health, St Stephen’s Hospital is a not-for-profit private healthcare provider owned by the Uniting Church and is the only not-for-profit provider of private hospital services on the Fraser Coast.