I once had the dubious pleasure of riding an ambulance in Aruba.
It’s the trip from hell.
The paramedics are adorable and supportive but the car rattles and chugs, it heaves and clanks, having been beaten up on the backroads of Aruba where our tourist usually experience their unfortunate UTV/ATV accidents. Even the best of cars gets beaten up, including the ambulances making their way up or down these rock obstacle courses.
Now you know. Perhaps a helicopter or a drone would be more suited for these rescue operations.
But we are getting two new ones according to the Minister of Health. That’s good news. Would you believe that a new ambulance costs more than one quarter million florin?
The director of IMSAN shared some updates with the public at the beginning of 2023, and it was all positive.
The Medical Center in San Nicolas is getting some new dialysis chairs. The existing 18 Fresenius machines, are in use, three shifts a day, six days a week, and serve, 80 Hemodialysis patients and 2 Peritoneal Dialysis patients. No, no kidney transplants here, good candidates are referred to Columbia. The dialysis center is staffed by two Nephrologists, specialists in treating all kidney diseases.
In the eye department one excellent retina specialist is working overtime and sees patients from Aruba, as well as Bonaire, Curacao, Saba and Statia. Our glaring sun, diabetes, aging and other illnesses affect our vision, and fast repairs are necessary before the retia withers and dies. IMSAN is interviewing another candidate to come here and share the work load, which is also divided among two Ophthalmologists, two optometrists, in addition to a contact lens specialist.
In the Radiation Oncology Center patients receive excellent care in collaboration with the experts at Baptist-Health in Florida, and the Miami Cancer Institute. They consult on every case, and reach consensus on the preferred treatment protocol. Local and US teams review and analyze findings and provide the best solutions possible, together.
As a hospital, IMSAN boasts 22 beds, and wishes to maintain its special status as an independent entity, collaborating with HOH but not swallowed by big sister.
According to the IMSAN director the Radiology department provides top notch Imaging Diagnostic Services: Ultrasound, Computer Tomography (CT) Scans and X-ray examinations, handled by a certified team of Radiologic-Technologists, Sonographers and Radiologists.
The Diabetic Center contributes greatly, maintaining chronic diabetes patients under control, to reduce and even avoid complications, with good regular care. The diabetes center recruited a multidisciplinary team to treat patients with diabetes.
The cherry on the cake, according to the director is the JCI accreditation, the Joint Commission of International Accreditation certificate which attests that the hospital delivers the highest level of care standards, in 10 hospital functions and on 67 topics.
IMSAN is also a learning center teaching first aid, CPR, AED, it receives the public in the Emergency Department, 24 hours, 7 days a week, runs a lab, a pharmacy, an operation theater, and the ambulance care unit.
I told you, it’s all positive.
