HPS On-site at Sydney Southwest Private Hospital
In 2012, HPS excitedly announced its successful resigning with Australia’s leading healthcare provider, partnering with Healthscope for another six years. This integrated partnership has been further strengthened with the addition of another Healthscope hospital to HPS’s growing portfolio of clients.
HPS’s network of pharmacies’ newest on-site pharmacy was recently opened at Sydney Southwest Private Hospital, and is purpose-built to support and deliver specialist services to the new oncology unit.
Tin Huynh, HPS’s General Manager – Hospitals, says “having an on-site pharmacy with sterile compounding capabilities will allow HPS’s network of pharmacies to deliver a quality, efficient, timely and cost effective oncology pharmacy service. The rest of the hospital will also benefit from better access to pharmacy services, especially for discharging patients and inpatients.”
Sydney Southwest Private Hospital’s Acting General Manager, Michelle Stares, is enthusiastic about the recent development, and the benefits that accompany a comprehensive on-site chemotherapy service delivered direct to their patients.
“Sydney Southwest Private Hospital’s oncology clinic provides a necessary service within the local health district, allowing privately insured patients to avoid the extensive waiting periods currently experienced at the public hospital,” says Michelle.
“Our new partnership with HPS will provide a seamless experience and specialist advice for patients undertaking chemotherapy treatment.”
HPS’s National Oncology Manager, Zeyad Ibrahim, has been consulting with the hospital from the outset to ensure a smooth transition of services, and emphasises the high level of specialisation and expertise HPS’s network of pharmacies provide in oncology.
“Oncology units require a comprehensive and dedicated clinical service to cater for cancer patients, and the vulnerabilities and risks they acquire due to their disease and potent treatment need,” says Zeyad.
“HPS’s network of pharmacies has assisted in designing the patient care system that is currently adopted at the unit. The system is all-encompassing from the timely and accurate supply of chemotherapy, to patient education and providing advice to assist clinicians in the decision-making process.”
The hospital has quickly experienced positive results with HPS on-site. Anjana Rao, Pharmacy Manager at Sydney Southwest has been remotely situated at the hospital since the opening of the oncology unit, and now manages services from the on-site pharmacy.
“Working with the staff, doctors and patients of Sydney Southwest has been rewarding. Our pharmacy services are an important part of patient treatment, and are of great value to the nursing staff and the referring medical oncologists. Having an on-site pharmacy will assist in maintaining and tailoring our service provision in line with the growth of the oncology clinic,” says Anjana.
The area of oncology has been a focus for HPS’s network of pharmacies over the last 12 months, and the opening of its first oncology compounding pharmacy in New South Wales signifies a milestone for the business within this growing market, and foreshadows many exciting developments within the oncology arena moving forward.
Tin Huynh says, “HPS’s network of pharmacies is thrilled to be providing on-site oncology pharmacy services to Sydney Southwest Private Hospital. The introduction of an on-site pharmacy is an excellent example of both organisations working together to ensure patients are receiving the highest quality of care when they are admitted into a Healthscope hospital serviced by HPS.”