A way of life

Life Mount Edgecombe Hospital is a member of Life Healthcare, one of the largest private hospital groups in South Africa, operating 63 acute care facilities across the country.

Life Healthcare is recognised throughout the health industry for its high calibre healthcare professionals and excellent facilities.

We believe delivery of world class healthcare is achieved through a combination of unparalleled quality and clinical excellence; along with a true focus on the personal needs of our patients and their families.

Every day we subscribe to the core values of the Life Healthcare group, while individually striving to continually improve facilities, standards and technology.

At Life Mount Edgecombe Hospital our priority is to focus on the delivery of a special brand of health and care to patients. Within a world class hospital, this unique approach is what makes the difference.

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Our team

At Life Mount Edgecombe Hospital we understand that we have a responsibility to meet the expectations of those who are entrusted to our care as well as the expectations of their loved ones.

This realisation enables us to ensure that we focus on an experience of care for everybody who visits or is admitted to one of our hospitals or healthcare facilities.

All Life Mount Edgecombe Hospital staff participate in ongoing quality training `Q to the power of e`. Here we each come to appreciate the importance of quality in delivery of service and to embrace caring principles of empathy, ethics, excellence, energy and empowerment.

Results of ongoing patient satisfaction surveys tell us that a stay at Mount Edgecombe Hospital reflects the high standards of health and care we set out to deliver.

The care delivered at Life Mount Edgecombe Hospital extends into the community.

Our employees at all levels actively participate in community initiatives to improve the quality of life in surrounding areas.

Our facilities

At Life Mount Edgecombe Hospital everything we do is focused on the delivery of high quality treatment and special, unique standards of care - whether for routine or more serious procedures.

Our facilities include:

• A 168 bed hospital with 5 theatres
• A maternity unit – with a neonatal ICU – and paediatric wards with excellent facilities for mothers of hospitalised children
• 24 hour accident and emergency unit
• A radiology unit including a CT scanner

Medical and surgical disciplines

• Cardiology
• Dentistry
• Dermatology
• Endoscopic surgery
• ENT surgery
• Gastroenterology
• Gastroenterological surgery
• General practice
• General surgery
• Gynaecology
• Internal medicine
• Laparoscopic surgery
• Maxillofacial and oral surgery
• Obstetrics
• Ophthalmology
• Orthopaedic surgery
• Paediatric endocrinology
• Paediatrics
• Pathology
• Pulmonology
• Psychiatry
• Radiology
• Thoracic surgery
• Urology

Ancillary services:

• Ambulance service
• Audiology
• Behavioural psychology
• Clinical psychology
• Educational psychology
• Speech therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Pharmacy
• Physiotherapy
• Psychology

Supporting doctors

Our supporting doctors will be happy to assist you with your queries.They can be contacted from Monday to Friday between 09h00 and 17h00.

Patient and visitor information

Life Mount Edgecombe Hospital takes pride in providing you the information you need in order to make your stay with us as pleasant and hassle-free as possible.

Accommodation

Accommodation in our hospital is extensive and includes:

• Day beds
• Private wards
• General wards
• High care units
• Intensive care units

Admission

For the patient`s comfort and wellbeing,

• all necessary information is obtained as efficiently and quickly as possible
• he or she is given reassurance and support
• he or she is personally escorted to the ward and introduced to the duty sister and ward secretary.

For patients who know in advance that they will be admitted to hospital, we have a pre-admission clinic which gives patients the opportunity to get the formalities and pre-tests done prior to the actual date of admission.

The admission process can be made easier for you if the following guidelines are followed:

• Medical aid patients should check with their medical aid or insurance scheme prior to admission and obtain the necessary pre-authorisation.
• Identity documents and medical aid cards must be presented on admission.
• Patients under the age of eighteen must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian

Please refer to our tariffs and discharge section below for further information.

Discharge

On leaving, do not forget to collect your medication and x-rays.

General information

The following information will help to make your stay as pleasant as possible. Knowing about the facilities and various aspects of the hospital will help you to settle in more easily.

Valuables
Patients are advised not to bring valuables to the hospital. Should you do so, please make use of our security safe. Whilst every effort in made to protect your belongings, the hospital will not be held responsible for any loss or damage that may occur. Please contact your charge sister or ward secretary to arrange for the security of your items. A receipt will be issued.

Television
All private, semi-private and general wards have televisions. In general wards, please ask the ward staff to switch on the television set to the channel desired. In private wards, you will be given a remote control to operate the television facility. Patients will receive an instructional pamphlet advising them on how to operate the system. DSTV is also available.

Radio
All wards have a channel and volume control switch at the entrance to the ward. Radio stations available are: Music Channel, East Cost Radio, Radio South Africa (Afrikaans), Radio Metro and 5FM. Patients will receive an instructional pamphlet advising them on how to operate the system.

Personal TV, radio, CD and cell phones
In the interests of other patients the use of personal TV`s, radios, CD players and cell phones are not allowed in the wards. Cell phones may be used at the phone area and/or in the canteen.

Toiletries
The hospital supplies towels, therefore it is not necessary to bring your own. However, toiletry items such as soap, face cloths and toothbrushes are not supplied and you are kindly requested to bring these with you.

Restaurant / coffee shop
The coffee shop is situated on the ground floor in the reception area. The coffee shop is open from 8h00 to 20h00 during the week, and 8h00 to 16h45 over weekends. Hot and cold meals, snacks, refreshments, newspapers, and sweets are available.

Meals
The menu has been carefully planned to ensure that the meals the patient eats during his or her hospital stay are both enjoyable and healthy. The emphasis is on meals that are low in fat, especially saturated fat, and high in fibre. This type of diet is recommended for general heath and for the prevention of certain diseases, such as heart disease and cancer.

We have a modern kitchen catering for vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Beef and pork are never stored, prepared or served from our kitchen. All food is strictly Halaal. Meal times are as follows:

Breakfast: 07h15 to 08h00
Lunch: 12h00 to 13h00
Supper: 17h00 to 18h00
Teas: 10h00, 14h00, 20h00

ICU

Visiting hours are from 13h00 to 13h30, 15h00 to 15h30 and 19h30 to 20h00. Only family members may visit in the ICU and only 2 visitors per patient. No Children under the age of 12 are permitted in the ICU.

Please bear in mind that there are very sick people in this unit and this should be respected at all times.

Payment of accounts

Medical aid members:
Most medical aid accounts are submitted directly to the medical aid society concerned. Some require the account to be signed by the member before submission. If this is the case, please do so immediately on receipt of the account and submit. Your co-operation is appreciated. Some medical aid societies do not pay the hospital in full and the member will be required to settle the difference on discharge.

Private patients:
A deposit on admission is required from private patients. The amount will depend on the treatment to be undergone and full settlement of the account must be made on discharge. Should any queries arise after the patient has departed from the hospital, these can be directed to the credit controller who will gladly assist.

Service monitoring

In keeping with our goal to continue providing high quality care, we monitor our service to our patients on an ongoing basis. On discharge patients are asked to complete a questionnaire regarding all aspects of their hospital stay. Participating is voluntary but we value appreciate your feedback. Your suggestions and criticisms will help us to improve our services and make the hospital experience a bit easier for tomorrow`s patients.

Please remember to hand in your completed questionnaire at the ward or at reception or send it to us by freepost. If you have more comments than can be contained in this survey, please feel free to write directly to us. Your letter will receive prompt and confidential treatment. Alternatively you may wish to e-mail us at Support.MountEdgecombe@lifehealthcare.co.za.

Smoking

Mount Edgecombe Hospital is a non-smoking hospital and cigarettes cannot be purchased on the premises.

Tariffs

• Our hospital charges patients at medical aid/ medical scheme rates
• A prepayment is required on hospitalization from patients not covered by medical aid or a medical scheme
• It is advised that private patients contact the hospital`s accounts department prior to admission to establish the estimated hospital cost. This can be done by calling the administration manager on 031 539 3311
• Patients requesting accommodation in private wards will be requested to pay the private ward fee on admission

Telephones

Public telephones are available on each floor and at the entrance of the hospital. A card telephone is also available. Telephone cards are obtainable from the gift shop. Telephone messages received in the ward from friends and relatives will be passed on to the patient.

Visitors

We welcome our patient`s visitors as we know what a difference the support of family and friends can make. However, in the best interests of all our patients the following points should be noted:

• Only two visitors are permitted per patient at any time.
• The hospital`s aim is for the patient to have a speedy recovery, and congestion due to overcrowding during visiting times can cause undue stress and be a health risk to patients.
• Visitors are also requested to be considerate to other patients, to limit their visiting time and to keep noise levels low.
• Children are welcome however adult supervision is a prerequisite.

Hospital visiting hours weekdays, weekends and public holidays are 14h00 to 15h00 and 19h00 to 20h00.