A new approach to post-natal care
Mildura Health (MH) is adding value to their health insurance policies by introducing a new innovative approach to post-natal services.
Aiming to launch by November this year, MH is introducing a Post-Natal Hotel and Home-Base Service to aid the recovery of new mums and their newborn.
Chief Executive Officer, Gerard Op de Coul said “We are proud to offer soon a personalised post-natal stay that allows mothers and families the opportunity to rest and get to know their baby while being supported by midwives and lactation consultants.
“Whilst we are in early stages, we are now advertising for Midwives to join our team and assist us to deliver the exceptional service that our members and new mothers deserve
“Members of MH will have a choice, whether they stay at indulge apartments for up to three nights or enjoy a home-based stay, where a member will enjoy meal vouchers, pamper packs, professional house cleans and more.
The implementation of this new initiative has been established due to the unfortunate closure of the Post-Natal Service at our Mildura Health Private Hospital (MHPH) in 2019 due to a shortage of Midwives to fulfil the service required.
Mr. Op de Coul said “the closure of this service at our MHPH was very disappointing to us and our members. From this, we have investigated different ways and options that we could develop a sustainable business model to offer our members post-natal care in a private setting.
“We hope to see birthing and the original in-hospital post-natal service option return back to MHPH in the future and we are encouraged by the fact that our local Latrobe University is implementing a Midwifery course. He added.
“This new approach has worked well for other providers throughout Australia including another health fund in Tasmania that we work closely with. The feedback is that users of this service are highly satisfied, and we hope we can deliver the same, if not a better service to our local community of members” he added.
“We look forward to announce the launch of this exciting initiative to our members and the local community in the coming months.
Indulge Apartment Director, Sarah Cox said “It is an absolute pleasure for Indulge Apartments to be involved in the new Mildura Health Post-natal initiative. We are honoured to be able to offer a safe and comfortable environment, for families making the transition from hospital to home.”
Dental cover that keeps you smiling
MILDURA Health Fund understands the importance of Dental and this is why they offer a unique Dental Cover to keep our community smiling.
The policy is designed for people of all ages and offers cover for preventative dental, major dental, minor dental, orthodontics and dentures.
Members can use their dental cover at all registered dentists locally and Australia-wide, which ensures they can visit their preferred practitioner.
It is recommended by dentists that Australians visit their dentist every six months to ensure overall good oral health.
But, according to the Australian Department of Health, 30 per cent of people delay or avoid dental work because of the cost.
Mildura Health Fund’s Dental Only policy can help members to reduce out-of-pocket costs and, in some cases, members will experience no out-of-pocket costs.
With less financial stress, members are encouraged to get regular check-ups for optimal dental health and to avoid major dental issues down the track.
Mildura Health Fund chief executive officer Gerard Op de Coul said the Dental Only policy was the Fund’s most coveted product.
“Our dental policy is our most popular policy out of our entire product suite,” he said.
“We have members joining from all over Australia due to the high benefits we pay towards dental cover and how well the product is priced.
“It is fantastic for singles and families, where each person on a policy can receive up to $1000 per year after their first year of cover.
“This means if you have a family of five, you will be able to receive up to $5000 of treatment in total per year. This is a good return on investment as the family premium starts from $11.15 per week.
“Members also can enjoy no gap preventative dental at a range of local Super Dental Providers.
“This means our members will not have out-of-pocket expenses for check-ups, scale and cleans, dental x-rays and fluoride treatment.
“Mr Op de Coul said members were encouraged to use their cover to its full potential.
“We encourage our members to use their dental cover and get their regular check-ups,” he said.
“By getting regular check-ups, this can reduce major issues in the future.”
Article by Sunraysia Daily
*Single and Family Dental Cover pricing quoted includes Government Rebate of 24.608% and 2.5% direct debit discount. #Waiting periods, benefit limitations and Fund rules apply. First membership year limit of $350 per person applies, $1000 limit per person per calendar year then applies after first year of dental membership.
Mildura Health Private Hospital Investing for the future needs of the community
Mildura Health Private Hospital (MHPH) is investing in delivering even greater care to the local community with a 12-million-dollar upgrade of the facility now underway that is expected to help attract more specialists to our region.
MHPH is creating two dedicated endoscopy theatres from the existing theatre footprint and building three new operating theatres. To compliment the operating theatre design, both stage 1 and 2 recovery areas will have increased bed numbers with an open plan layout for improved clinical oversight. The works will entail construction of a new Central Sterilization Store Department aligned with changing regulations. The project also improves the hospital’s bulk store capacity, staff change rooms and staff tearoom. Along with this, there will be a new 44 space car park and pedestrian crossing for MHPH staff.
MHPH Chief Executive Officer, Marcus Guthrie said “The hospital has completed detailed modelling of current and future patient activity based on regional population growth and an ageing population. This detailed strategic planning shows us that there is a need for an increased medical workforce along with an expansion of the operating theatre complex. This is on top of an increasing number of patient’s using the hospital’s services up 6% on the previous financial years admissions as a result of the hospital attracting more specialists to the region allowing patients to avoid needing to travel for their treatment.”
This upgrade is timely with the increase of procedures being performed at MHPH. Recent data from the last financial year has highlighted that the number of hip replacements performed at the hospital have doubled from the previous financial year. One of the reasons for this is the result of successful surgical recruitment to the area giving local residents greater choice and range of services that can be performed locally.
Local resident, Phil Kettle recently had a hip replacement at MHPH with Associate Professor (AP) Rickman who is a visiting specialist from Adelaide.
“I was referred to AP Rickman from my GP Dr. Gleeson. From the moment I spoke with AP Rickman I had a feeling of confidence that I was going to be looked after properly. Prior to meeting AP Rickman, I did some research, and I was very pleased to see a specialist with his credentials visit Mildura.
“Within a few days I was out of hospital, and I was able to walk 200 meters, then 1 km the day following, and I felt great, said Mr. Kettle.
“The overall experience from start to finish was exceptional. The treatment and care at MHPH was faultless and the care and expertise provided by AP Rickman prior and after the procedure was great. The personal follow up from AP Rickman’s room and MHPH has been fantastic.
Mr. Kettle added “People from the region say that when you need something major done you need to go to Adelaide or Melbourne to get better treatment. But I can say that I do not believe I could have received better treatment out of town, than what I receive here, in Mildura.
Mr. Guthrie said, “More work needs to be done in recruiting specialists to the area, however with the investment in new perioperative services department design, it will make recruitment of specialists less problematic. We are also working closely with the local public hospital in doing joint recruitment of specialists to the area, in particular Physicians. This will allow for an easier transfer of private patients out of public hospital, freeing up beds for public patients. A win win for the whole community.
“Further announcements will also be made soon regarding the Mildura Health Icon Cancer Centre which is expected to start building by the end of this year”, added Mr Guthrie.
Mildura Health announces Mildura’s first radiation oncology service
We all know someone who has been impacted by cancer and we are proud to announce that Mildura Health will be building a purpose-built cancer radiation treatment centre in partnership with Icon who is a leader in cancer treatment and research in Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.
Construction of the new Mildura Health Icon Cancer Centre will begin soon with the new multi-million-dollar development set to deliver radiation cancer treatment to our local community. The centre will be built on the grounds of Mildura Health Private Hospital and will have the capacity to deliver 9000 radiation therapy treatments each year, offering precise and complex treatment for more than 500 patients annually.
Mildura Health Fund Chief Executive Officer, Gerard Op de Coul says “This is a major health announcement for our region and was only possible due to the support of our 34,500 loyal members. Being a member of Mildura Health Fund is more than just about Private Health Insurance. Your support has enabled us to bring vital health services to this town. Mildura Health supports the local community, not shareholders.
“It has been a five-year journey. When we originally looked at providing this service locally it became obvious to us that we did not have the resources or the knowhow to provide such a service. Radiation treatment is extremely complex and is evolving at such a rapid pace that partnership with a large provider who specialises in this field is needed. This is why we chose the ICON group. They are the largest provider of these services Australia wide, providing these services in many of Australia’s leading Private Hospital’s such as Epworth Healthcare and Healthscope private hospitals,” said Mr Op de Coul.
Icon Group Chief Executive Officer, Mark Middleton said “With both cancer incidence and mortality in Mildura ranking higher than the Victorian average, we know how important access to cancer treatment is for the local community. No longer will cancer patients need to travel long distances away from loved ones to access the care they need or face financial and emotional stress over what can be months of treatment.”
Mildura Health Private Hospital Chief Executive Officer, Marcus Guthrie says “As Mildura Health Private Hospital continues to deliver exceptional care to the Mildura region, we look forward to expanding our available cancer care services and facilities in partnership with Icon Group and offering medical oncology to more patients upon opening. This cancer centre will ensure patients can receive cancer treatment locally to help ease the emotional, financial and social burden of travelling for care.”
“This could not have happened without the support of the Federal Government, Victorian State Government, Icon Group and our loyal and valued members. I would like to personally thank all involved in making this vision a reality” Mr Op de Coul added.
It is anticipated the Centre will be completed in late 2021 and will be accessible to both public and private patients alike.