Cura completes Noosa day hospital build
Cura Day Hospitals Group plans to admit the first patients to Noosa Day Hospital on 31 August after the new facility reached practical completion.
The hospital sits inside the Noosa Specialist Medical Centre on Hofmann Drive. Cura says it will be the company’s 39th hospital across Australia and its third day hospital on the Sunshine Coast.
That puts it alongside Sunshine Coast Day Surgery at Maroochydore and Kawana Private Hospital in the group’s regional network.
The new hospital is built on one level. It includes three operating theatres, seven first stage recovery beds and 10 second stage recovery recliner chairs.
Support facilities include 130 open and undercover car parks, a patient drop-off area and dedicated ambulance bays.
Chief executive Peter Freeleagus said the project had moved from construction into final fit-out and commissioning before the opening date.
“With construction now complete, we are progressing into the final fit-out and commissioning phase ahead of welcoming our first patients on 31 August,” Freeleagus said.
He said the site would be Noosa’s first standalone multidisciplinary day hospital. Cura expects it to serve a town with an older population, with nearly 30% of residents aged 65 or above.
According to Freeleagus, planned services include ophthalmology and gastroenterology, including colonoscopy procedures. He said that should help more patients receive treatment locally instead of travelling outside Noosa.
Stephanie Adams appointed to lead hospital
Stephanie Adams has started as Noosa Day Hospital’s CEO and Director of Nursing ahead of the launch.
Before joining Cura, Adams was general manager and finance manager at Southern Cross Northland Surgical Centre in New Zealand. In that role, she helped establish and commission a new hospital with five operating theatres and consulting suites.
Freeleagus said Adams brings experience in day hospital leadership as well as clinical governance, accreditation, workforce management and financial performance.
Adams said the Noosa facility differs from some other local medical sites because the hospital was designed and built for that purpose, rather than fitted into an older building.
“Once we are fully operational, we will employ around 60 staff,” Adams said.
She said many key clinical roles have already been filled, while recruitment for administrative and clinical positions will continue as the hospital reaches full operations.
Cura did not disclose a construction cost for the project in the information it provided.
