Abu Dhabi: The Khalidiya Urgent Care Centre (KUCC) will open tomorrow, the management of Shaikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) said on Tuesday.
They also announced the closure of the Central Hospital's Emergency Department. Walk-in-patients with urgent problems are encouraged to visit the 24-hour facility instead of the former Central Hospital Complex.
Urgent cases include abdominal pains, vomiting and diarrhoea in adults, coughs, colds, flu, earache, sore throats, eye problems, mild to moderate asthma, minor cuts or wounds, sudden back pain, sudden rashes, sprains and and urine problems.
There will be 19 treatment rooms in KUCC and 15 permanent physicians who previously served patients in Central Hospital.
"When I arrived at SKMC nine months ago, I knew there was room for improvement and through time, we have managed to educate patients that they should only visit the emergency ward for major illnesses. If the patient is not an emergency case, any walk-in patient will be granted treatment in our new facility," said Dr Kenneth Ouriel, CEO, SKMC, at a press conference yesterday.
Surge
Murray Van Dyke, Chairman of the Emergency Department, SKMC, KUCC will encourage approximately 125 to 135 walk-in-patients a day, similar to the former Central Hospital.
For emergencies, patients will be directed to the SKMC Emergency Department (ED). The following conditions will be dealt with: allergic reactions, chest pain, difficulties in breathing, fever in young infants, injuries from car accidents, poisoning, medications overdose, seizure, serious burns, serious wounds, serious head injuries, severe abdominal pain and vomiting and diarrhoea in young children.
According to Dyke, SKMC has witnessed a 90 per cent hike in emergency cases in the past four years. Compared to last year, 2008 has witnessed a surge from 50,000 patients to 89,000, not including 50,000 patients in Central Hospital.
"We receive six to seven ambulance cases each month. The largest proportion of cases admitted included people with abdominal pain, fever, chest pain and car or industrial accident cases," said Dyke.
