By Peter Douglas
The Emerald Medical Centre opened to the hills community amid much fanfare and celebration on Saturday 8 April.
The multi-faceted facility presents a new era to primary and allied health care within the region, with the purpose-built building designed to allow a team-based, holistic approach to patient care.
The building is also designed to facilitate stronger relationships between medical staff and essential community assets such as local schools and emergency services.
To celebrate the occasion, a host of special guests helped create a conducive atmosphere.
These included Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley, La Trobe MP Jason Wood, Cardinia Shire Mayor Brett Owen and Cardinia Shire Citizen of the Year, Wayne Collins.
Centre director, Dr George Somers, told the ‘Mail’ the opening represented a step towards modern health care for the Emerald hills district.
“Thirty years ago somebody would come to you with a sore knee but they may’ve had different issues … blood pressure, heart disease, depression,” he said.
“The 10 minutes you used to give them as a doctor to patient no longer works.
“The patient may need a team approach, including a psychologist or dietitian.
“This building is purpose-built, so we can have teams working on individual patients, or groups of patients.
“We can now provide all services locally, under the one roof.”
The medical centre provides most of the nursing and GP services to the region, with the new extension enabling them to build expanded new teams, including allied health and medical specialists.
The two-storey, 16-bed facility also includes a large multi-purpose room, which community groups and health professionals can use to hold meetings or host presentations.
Like much of the thought behind the building, this represents just another way the medical centre can stay connected with the Emerald and hills communities.
This includes developing a stronger relationship with Emerald Secondary College, where they will have doctors and nurses on site each week.
Dr Somers said planning for the design started five years ago, when they submitted an ultimately failed plan to Cardinia Shire Council.
But he said it was essential they persisted after the initial setback.
“Two years ago – instead of saying it would be nice to have a bigger building – it really had to happen,” he said.
“So, we got serious and re-submitted.”
Dr Somers said the result would speak for itself.
“Rather than just attending a consultation now, say a diabetic might spend a morning in here seeing four or five different health professionals, then have a group session with other diabetics so they can learn from each other.
“Now, we have community education sessions, too.”
During his opening speech, Dr Somers paid tribute to the many people behind the project, including builder Ross Young and his team, interior decorator Kevin Coxshead, Ian Conibeer from Energy Connections.
He also thanked the support from his wife, Mary-Anne, and their children; as well as the patients.
“On behalf of the whole Emerald Medical Centre, I would like to thank our patients, who are all, without exception, also our friends.”
