Mount St. John Opens Monday

Mount St. John Medical Centre (MSJMC) is to celebrate a grand opening next Monday, however, the transfer of patients from the Holberton Hospital will not take place until a later date.

According to MSJMC marketing and communications manager Salma Crump, the event which is for invited guests only is being staged ahead of the patient transfer to avoid health risks associated with bacteria entering the hospital.

“The actual patient opening will happen some time after. We can’t have a grand opening with people coming in and out all the time and have patients undergoing treatment,” Crump told the Antigua Sun yesterday.

After the ceremony, a clean-up operation will prepare the 185-bed medical centre which will provide full inpatient, diagnostic and physician services, for the intake of patients.

The transfer of the 100-plus patients currently receiving treatment at the Holberton Hospital has already been planned as an exercise that will take place over the course of a weekend.

At a press conference following a tour of the medical centre last November, Randall Arlett, president and managing director of the American Hospital Management Company (AHMC) responsible for managing centre operations stated that the move will take place on a Saturday commencing early in the morning.

Holberton will be closed before the transfer. Closure of the Holberton will take place simultaneously to the opening of Mount St. John. The intention is for a seamless transition, a “calm, planned out process” Arlett said.

The opening, Crump informed, will be followed by a press conference giving an occasion for government and MSJMC officials to review the journey of Antigua and Barbuda’s largest investment in hospital care, from conception to delivery.

It is only for the media and invited guests.

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