Christine M. Watterson.MaóMenorca´s new general hospital should be in full use by next spring according to Claudio Triay, the head of the island´s Health Authority. He stated that the transfer from the "Verge de Toro" to the "Mateu Orfila" should be accomplished without any interruption to the medical services.
Triay explained that the new hospital would be on similar lines to the centre in Son Llàtzer, but with "better technology" making it the most modern hospital in the Balearic Islands, together with that in Inca. Three teams from the "Verge de Toro" will be travelling to Son Llàtzer in the next few weeks to learn how the hospital works at first hand.
The transfer from one hospital in Maó to the other is expected to take four weeks, starting with the radiology and pathology departments and the laboratory, all of which will have completely new equipment. The other departments will be moved progressively to minimise the interruption to consultations and operations will be suspended for one week before the transfer of patients.
IB-Salut hopes that the transfer of patients can be accomplished in just one day, a Saturday. Triay explained that they would try to avoid coinciding with a sporting event as it may be necessary to close the Vía de Ronda. It has been estimated that, working from 0800 hrs. to 2200 hrs., one mobile UVI unit and 4 ambulances would be sufficient for transferring patients from one hospital to the other.
The plan is that the "Mateu Orfila" will be fully operative four weeks after the transfer begins. During the transition period some services will overlap and be duplicated, although for a minimum amount of time. As an example, the casualty department will function in both hospitals on the Saturday of the transfer. The medical chief maintains that there will be no need to divert services to other centres and reiterated that there would be no interruption to the medical service provided.
