Pictured (left to right) Netcare St Anne’s Hospital general manager Sharon Singh, emergency medicine specialist Dr Steve Feris, Director of the Trauma Programme at the hospital Professor Damian Clarke, emergency department unit manager Sr Nobuhle Mhlongo and nursing services manager Sr Precious Shelembe.

ED and Level 1 trauma centre always ready for any urgent care

From treating trauma injuries caused by wildlife, road accidents and sports, to heart attacks, stroke, or the sudden onset of other concerning medical symptoms – the emergency department at Netcare St Anne’s Hospital never sleeps.

The recent introduction of emergency medicine specialist services – alongside the well-established and accredited Level 1 trauma service further strengthens the emergency department at Netcare St Anne’s Hospital.

“This has been tremendously beneficial, as both trauma specialist and emergency medicine specialist services are needed to deal with emergencies whenever they happen,” explains Professor Damian Clarke, Director of the Trauma Programme at Netcare St Anne’s Hospital and academic head of the trauma system in Pietermaritzburg and Western KwaZulu-Natal.

“When patients access treatment earlier, there is more we can do in trauma care and medical emergencies. Having dedicated specialists available to see acutely unwell patients, 24 hours a day, makes a great difference, as they can recognise and take the initial time-critical treatment steps that can save your life.”

“If someone suddenly starts experiencing chest pains, or a child develops a dangerously high fever in the middle of the night, it’s not an option to wait for an appointment – specialist emergency assessment, treatment, and sometimes intensive care are needed immediately,” says Dr Steve Feris, an emergency medicine specialist with over a decade of clinical experience, and special interest in toxicology and stroke.

When entering an emergency department, patients are first triaged according to the urgency of their condition, and those who have the most severe or time-sensitive injuries or medical symptoms are attended to first.

“When it comes to urgent medical conditions, including heart failure, severe pneumonia symptoms and acute stroke, the emergency department provides care to ICU standards with multidisciplinary specialist care at the front door – there is no need to wait.”

For emergencies large and small, Dr Feris, Maharaj, and Partners, comprising married couple Dr Feris and general practitioner and telehealth expert Dr Jotika Maharaj, as well as emergency medicine specialists Dr Reza Laas and Dr Daniel Fiandeiro, are on hand to shorten the time to treatment at Netcare St Anne’s Hospital emergency department.

“As a family practice, we understand that when your child is sick, or you are unwell or in pain, immediate assurance from a trained medical professional is essential. We have therefore introduced telehealth consultations, making routine care not requiring a visit to the emergency department more accessible by providing primary healthcare guidance remotely,” adds Dr Maharaj, who provides urgent care and care coordination utilising virtual healthcare to streamline treatment.

Since the introduction of emergency medicine specialist services, a greater percentage of people treated for medical conditions in the emergency department were well enough to return home without the need for hospitalisation.

As one of only four private Level 1 trauma centres accredited by the Trauma Society of South Africa (TSSA), Netcare St Anne’s Hospital’s emergency department has seen a growing number of referrals for Priority One patients, that is people with the most critical injuries who require urgent lifesaving intervention, from all over KwaZulu-Natal, often via helicopter transfer, over the past year.

“Being a Level 1 trauma centre means that the facility is equipped to specific standards, with appropriately qualified and trained trauma doctors and nursing staff to treat any injury, including Priority One complex or multiple injuries, at any time of day or night, in line with best practice in trauma medicine,” Prof Clarke explains.

“In trauma medicine, we work according to an evidence-based trauma system that is proven to improve outcomes. The system aims to shorten the time between injury and appropriate specialist intervention to maximise the person’s chance of survival and minimise the harm. The system and the team are crucial to get the most benefit out of what we call the Golden Hour.”

Prof Clarke points out that other disciplines, including neurology and cardiology, are leveraging the approach the trauma system pioneered, the benefits of which are now felt in acute care services. “From the cath lab where amazing minimally invasive life-saving procedures are performed, to the intensive care facilities and every facet of multidisciplinary care – the whole hospital is uplifted,” he says.

“We are grateful for the expertise of our eminent trauma team and the incoming specialist emergency medicine practice, which together ensure that the communities of Msunduzi, the Midlands and further afield in KwaZulu-Natal can rely on the emergency department of Netcare St Anne’s Hospital for any urgent healthcare needs,” hospital general manager Sharon Singh concludes.