Business View Caribbean | August 2019

31 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN AUGUST 2019 BVC: Can you describe the overall operations of Falmouth Hospital? Wedderburn: “There are 306 staff employed to cover the various categories. The facility is headed by the Chief Executive Officer. The Senior Medical Officer and Director of Nursing Services are also part of the administrative team leaders, supported by the Medical Imaging Practitioner, Chief Medical Technologist, Dietitian, Hospital Administrator, and Health Records Administrator. There are six wards: Male Surgical, Female Surgical, Male Medical, Female Medical, Children’s, Maternity and Observation Unit. “Today, we are happy to be working closely with the Cornwall Regional Hospital team. Due to the air quality issue currently plaguing the Cornwall Regional Hospital, their Intensive Care Unit (I.C.U), Operating Theatre, 7 East ward, 5 East ward, and Med Surge were transferred to the Falmouth Hospital. The Falmouth Hospital bed capacity is 86. With the addition of the Cornwall Regional Hospital wards, the capacity has increased to approximately 170. In addition, we cater to the needs of approximately 31 social cases at the Icy Allen Wing at the Falmouth Infirmary. Pharmacy services is a collaboration with the National Health Fund. The buildings are disbursed and linked by corridors. We operate an outpatient clinic in surgical, dermatology, obstetrics, and gynaecology.” BVC: Have patient numbers changed significantly over the years? Wedderburn: “Our health records performance FALMOUTH PUBL I C GENERAL HOSP I TAL JAMA I CA data for the years 2014 – 2018 showed incremental increases/decreases over the period with reference to the number of patients accessing our facility yearly. Careful examination of the data revealed: • Total admissions over the five-year period showed a 22% increase, with a yearly incremental increase in the number of patients accessing the facility. • Medicine, one of the most active areas, showed a 21% increase over the period. • Total deliveries indicated a 24.4% increase.