A way of life

Life Bedford Gardens 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 Bedford Gardens 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 Bedford Gardens 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 Bedford Gardens Hospital staff participates in on-going 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 Life Bedford Gardens Hospital reflects the high standards of health and care we set out to deliver.

The care delivered at Life Bedford Gardens 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

Our modern, sophisticated facilities include:

• 144 beds and six theatres all fully equipped for advanced laparoscopic techniques
• Our 24-hour accident and emergency unit is manned 24 hours every day and supported by resident specialists
• Two ICUs equipped with leading monitoring facilities catering for medical, surgical, paediatric and neonatal patients
• A six bed neonatal intensive care unit complete with state-of-the-art monitoring and life support equipment providing the best possible environment for our smallest patients
• A radiology facility, with a comprehensive range of sophisticated diagnostic equipment including:
  • CT scanner
  • Nuclear medicine
  • Barium meal and enema
  • Bone densitometry
  • Fluoroscopic interventional procedures
  • Mammography screening and ultrasound with colour doppler
  • MRI Scanner
• A 17 bed maternity unit with well-appointed wards and secure facilities. This unit is ably supported by a mother and baby clinic which provides support to the mother after delivery

Medical and surgical disciplines

• Advanced laparoscopic surgery
• Advanced arthroscopic surgery
• Cardiology
• Dentistry
• Dermatology
• ENT surgery
• Eye surgery
• Gastroenterology
• General surgery
• Gynaecology
• Internal medicine
• Maxillofacial surgery
• Neurosurgery
• Neurology and electrophysiology
• Nuclear medicine
• Obstetrics
• Ophthalmology
• Orthodontics
• Orthopaedic surgery
• Paediatrics
• Paediatric surgery
• Psychiatry
• Pathology
• Plastic and reconstructive surgery
• Radiology
• Rheumatology
• Thoracic surgery
• Urology

Ancillary services:

• Antenatal classes
• Breastfeeding clinic
• Dietetics
• Pharmacy
• Osteoporosis clinic
• Physiotherapy
• Postnatal baby clinic

Supporting doctors

The doctors listed below are private practitioners. Please enquire about their rates directly with the practice.

Patient and visitor information

At Life Bedford Gardens Hospital, we take pride in providing you, information that you need in order to make your stay with us a pleasant and hassle-free experience.

If there is any further information that you or your family require regarding our hospital and our services, please feel free to contact us.

Before you arrive

• Unless otherwise instructed by your doctor, patients must not eat or drink anything for at least six hours prior to admission.
• If you have a cold, fever, rash or if you are simply not feeling very well, contact your doctor immediately as he may wish to postpone your operation.

Cell phones

Cell phones may be used during the day, provided that this does not disturb other patients. The use of cell phones is not allowed after 19:00.

No cell phones are allowed in ICUs.

Discharge

• Patients should remember to take their x-rays and medication home with them
• Check that you understand how to use your medication
• Make a follow-up appointment with your doctor

Remember not to get your wound dressing wet unnecessarily.

Observe the operation area for the following signs of infection:

• Increased temperature (a warm feeling)
• Pain
• Oedema (swelling)
• Redness
• Drainage from the wound

If any of these symptoms occur, contact your surgeon immediately.

Medicine

It is likely that your doctor will prescribe medication for you to use at home after the procedure, which we will provide for your convenience. You are also welcome to take the script to your own pharmacy, but please inform us beforehand, if you would like to take up this option.

On admission

• Please report at reception.
• If you are going to be late please call us and your doctor as soon as possible, to enable us to make alternative arrangements.

Payments / Tariffs

Patients belonging to a Registered Medical Aid Fund
Hospital tariffs are charged according to the benefit scale. Some medical aid funds do require their members to pay part of incurred costs.

We recommended that you get prior authorisation regarding:

• Costs that will be covered
• Authorisation regarding hospitalisation
• Maximum benefits or exclusions which might be applicable
• Benefit restrictions regarding prosthesis and instrumentation

Patients not belonging to a Medical Aid Fund
An advance payment equalling the estimated costs of your account will be payable on admission. Please contact the Hospital reception regarding any enquiries about your hospitalisation. For our contact details, please click here.

The hospital account does not include any other incurred costs e.g. for services rendered by your doctor, anaesthetist, radiologist, pathologist, etc. Please contact the Hospital regarding advance payments prior to your admission.

Pre-admission

• Contact your medical aid fund for pre-authorisation regarding your hospitalisation.
• Admission without such an authorisation can have serious financial implications.
• A motivational letter is often required by the medical aid / medical scheme for certain procedures. This letter must be obtained from your doctor, prior to admission.

Safety precautions

• It is extremely dangerous to drive, operate machinery or to play sport within the first 12 hours after an operation. It is therefore important that a day patient arrange for someone to bring them to the hospital and collect them after the operation.
• Rest is an important element of recuperation. Maintain a quiet pace until your doctor indicates that you may return to your usual routine.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted in any ward. Patients and Visitors may only smoke in the designated smoking areas.

Surgical patients

• Please note that the time you are asked to report to the hospital will differ from the time at which your operation actually takes place. This is done to facilitate the time allocation for the theatres as well as to accommodate emergencies and variances, which occur from time to time.
• Please prepare yourself for a waiting period and bring reading matter or something else to keep yourself occupied.

Valuables

It is advisable not to bring any jewellery, valuable articles, and large amounts of money or firearms. The hospital doesn’t take responsibility for the safekeeping of these articles.

Visiting hours

• 11h00 - 12h00 (designated wards only)
• 15h00 - 16h00
• 19h15 - 20h15

Further to this, other rules apply with respect to visitors and these are:

• Visitors are restricted to three per patient at a time. Children are welcome but they must have an adult supervising them. Adult supervision is not required in the children`s ward.
• In the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), we only allow two family members per patient.
• In the High Care wards, two visitors per patient are allowed.

Visitor information

We do ask visitors to adhere to visiting times, which enable:

• Our patients to have the required rest they need
• Time for doctor`s rounds
• Time for treatment
• Time for housekeeping routines
• Infection control

What to bring with you

• Medical aid authorisation number
• Identity document
• Medical aid card
• Minors (under 18 years old) should be accompanied by a legal parent or guardian
• X-rays, if applicable
• Chronic and / or current medication (to be handed to ward charge sister)

Your stay with us

• After you have completed the registration form at reception you may be requested to wait for a while in the waiting room until our ward staff collects you.
• Once you are in the ward you will be handed a theatre gown and a dressing gown. Your own clothes will be placed beside you, in the bed locker.
• Our nursing staff is trained to assist you in preparing for your operation. Please feel free to ask them anything you wish and to share any fears and uncertainties you might have.
• After your operation you will recuperate in the ward. The minimum period of stay for day patients will be for one hour and can be extended depending on your reaction to the anaesthetic and the type of procedure performed. Patients undergoing more major procedures should check with their doctor as to the likely duration of their stay.