News

A bright and engaging room for people with cognitive impairment is planned at The Friendlies Private Hospital to improve amenities for patients and their families. With an increasing elderly population, the hospital is seeing a growing number of general admissions who need higher care. Unit Five nurse unit manager Donna Habermann said the goal was to provide a home-like environment for patients with dementia and to activate their memories. The project will involve painting a four-bed room in bright colours,More

The Friendlies Pharmacy team have implemented an innovative software solution to replace handwritten entries into drug registers. Chief Pharmacist Jason Vizgoft (pictured) said this will reduce errors, streamline processes, increase safety, free-up nursing time and enable easier tracking of scheduled drugs around the hospital. “This digital healthcare solution helps move away from manual paper-based systems and into a more modern process that allows us to more reliably meet industry benchmarks and governance standards,” he said. “While this Australian-based software providerMore

Many lives have been saved at The Friendlies Cardiac Investigations Unit since it opened 10 years ago on 6 November 2012. Melbourne Cup Day in 2012 was a lucky one for Bundaberg punters when Dr Andre Conradie from GenesisCare fulfilled a long-term vision to establish a Cardiac Catheter Lab in Bundaberg. After years of planning and a phased introduction, he obtained government approval to start operating at The Friendlies. A Cardiac Catheter Lab is a specialised procedure environment where cardiologistsMore

Friendlies CEO Simone Finch says there needs to be ongoing investment to support people living with a disability and their carers. In 2021, 9478 people (or 9.6% of the population) in the Bundaberg Region reported needing help in their day-to-day lives due to disability, up from 8.3% in 2016. Ms Finch welcomed the United Nations’ theme for this year’s International Day of People with Disability, saying it echoes the health service’s commitment to transformation, innovation and equity. The UN observedMore