A SECOND manager has been brought in to run Orange Private Hospital as Orange Surgery Centre seeks more behind-the scenes support.
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OSC has entered a joint venture with Nexus Hospitals for the levels it has leased at Bloomfield Medical Centre, which Dr Bill Mackie said would introduce expertise from a national operator.
Nexus already manages 15 surgical facilities across the country, including Insight Private Hospital at the Gardens Medical Centre, which Bloomfield is based on.
"They'll be the operational side of the hospital and they'll be co-owners with us - they'll provide management services and back-of-office," he said.
"It's been 17 years since we set up [McNamara Street] Day Surgery and my experience setting up new places is not very fresh so what they bring to the table is fantastic."
Dr Mackie said Nexus would help with the fitout and equipment procurement, as well as boost the value for money patients gained from their private health insurance.
"What they're trying to do is work with the health funds so that patients don't have out-of-pocket costs," he said.
He said the process of negotiations had taken a little longer than expected, meaning the first operations are now expected in May or June rather than Easter, subject to Orange City Council and NSW Health approval for the layouts.
Level four will include up to seven individualised operating theatres, while level three will include 22 single rooms for inpatients.
"These include six high-dependency rooms and up to eight paediatric rooms," Dr Mackie said.
The first specialists are expected to move into rooms on level five next month.
Dr Mackie said the McNamara Street centre could only accommodate overnight patients, but the hospital would allow longer stays and broader procedures.
"Our plastic surgeon currently takes a lot of work to Sydney and there were some operations like breast reconstruction which we haven't been able to do here in Orange - this will extend services beyond what is currently in town," he said.
Dr Mackie said the surgery's 20 staff would undergo training ahead of the move.
"Our existing nursing and support staff will form the core of a workforce that will be expanding with the growth of services offered by the hospital," he said.
Nexus Hospitals chief executive officer Andrew Petering said in a statement Orange Private Hospital represented "an ideal opportunity" to provide "an exceptional experience of care".
Developers James Richmark and Zauner Group are still working on the building, as well as as 82-bed medi-motel next door.
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