Cowra’s brand new hospital is preparing to officially open its doors on 9 December, with major upgrades to emergency care, imaging services and patient flow systems. Staff say the move into the new building marks a major step forward in safety, efficiency and patient experience for the entire region. One of the changes will be the introduction of colour coded seating in the emergency department, designed to help clinicians quickly identify which patients need to be seen first. Red chairs for patients yet to be assessed or requiring urgent care and orange and green chairs for patients who need to be seen soon but are stable. This simple visual system helps staff prioritise patients safely while improving communication and workflow in the busy ED environment. Due to ongoing demolition of the old hospital building, the Emergency Department will serve as the only public entrance for the first six months. Health service manager Pauline Rowston said the process has been carefully planned. “For the first six months while we’re waiting for the other building to come down, the emergency will be the only entrance to the hospital,” Ms Rowston said. “There are intercoms to go to whichever department you need, inpatients, ED or maternity, for after hours. “During hours, just walk in, go to the reception desk and they’ll take your details and tell you where to go.” Patients will be directed from the ED to the appropriate area until the main public entrance is completed. Ms Rowston said the new ED is a major improvement on the old facility. “We have four beds, which is a big improvement from the previous one,” she said. “We worked very hard with health infrastructure planners to make sure they’re ready for the future.” A consult room has also been added after strong advocacy from Cowra’s clinical team. “One of our doctors was adamant we get a fourth bed and a consult room and we were happy to accommodate that, especially since it was needed from a community point of view,” Ms Rowston said. Staff have spent months preparing policies, workflows and training ahead of the opening. “We’ve got plans, we’ve got actions, we’ve got calendars, all leading up to the opening,” she said. “All being well, on 9 December the emergency department will be fully functioning. “We’re 90 per cent confident we will open on the 9th.” Mr Rowston said a well designed ED has a huge flow on effect. “If we’ve got a good, well functioning emergency department with the services we need, we can move our patients much, much quicker to get them where they need to be,” she said. Doctor Karl Bauer said the difference between the old and new hospital is dramatic. “I’ve had a sample of the older rooms and the new one, it’s chalk and cheese,” he said. “It’s very nice to have a custom made 21st century emergency department.” He highlighted key upgrades that will significantly improve patient outcomes with more space, better layout and visibility, safer treatment areas, imaging services on the same floor, and a CT scanner, which the old hospital did not have “We had a patient last week with a head injury, compound fracture and we could walk the patient straight in,” Mr Bauer said. “Early diagnosis, early scan and cut the five hours down to a much shorter time.” He said the improved design creates better safety for both patients and staff. “It’s much safer,” he said. “We can directly see what’s going on, so staff can see straight away.” “We’re very happy with it.” Chief radiographer Victoria Young said the new hospital will dramatically expand diagnostic capacity, with more staff and the introduction of CT and ultrasound services. “We’ll be x-raying here in a week when the move happens, but CT and ultrasound will start on 5 January once we’ve got the staff.” To run a full imaging service, staff need specialised training: “We need four of us fully trained and able to cannulate and other things,” she said. “We currently have three staff and we’ll have nine by June.” She said the upgraded service will eventually operate at a similar pace to neighbouring regional hospitals. “It’s going to become like Parkes and Forbes, just very, very busy,” Ms Young said. With modern facilities, expanded emergency capacity and new diagnostic technology, the new hospital represents a major leap for healthcare delivery in Cowra and surrounding communities. The hospital remains on track to welcome its first patients, marking the beginning of a new chapter for regional health in Cowra.
