HIBERNIAN HEALTH LAUNCHES 1ST CONSULTANT LED ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY TREATMENT IN IRELAND WITH A&E EMERGENCIES TREATED IN 60MINS

15 September

Hibernian Health Xpress Med is a pioneering alternative to A&E
Hibernian Health Xpress Med provides consultant led urgent care
Hibernian Heath Xpress Med providing treatment within one hour

15th September 2008. People with broken limbs, abdominal pains, sports injuries and a range of other emergency care needs no longer have to queue in the capital’s busy Accident & Emergency Departments (A&E). From today people from 4 years upwards* with emergency care needs can be seen within 60 minutes of arriving at Hibernian Health’s new Xpress Med Urgent Care Centre in Dublin City Centre, the first, consultant led alternative to A&E in Ireland.

Providing rapid access to consultant led emergency care for minor injuries/illnesses, Hibernian Health Xpress Med is located in a state of the art, €15m Dublin City Centre location in Smithfield which has 1,000 parking spaces on its site. Hibernian Health Xpress Med will provide treatment to patients within 60 minutes of arrival covering treatments such as broken bones, abdominal pain and sports injuries.

Unlike existing rapid access medical centres currently in operation in Ireland, Hibernian Health Xpress Med will be the first Community based urgent care service led and supervised by Consultants in Emergency Medicine in addition to a GP out-of-hours home visit service. This state of the art facility has been custom designed to provide an excellent level of service and is located with access to the main transport routes around Dublin.

Hibernian Health Xpress Med deals with the majority of illnesses presenting to A & E. From more minor injuries including broken bones and sports injury to more serious conditions including joint dislocations breathing difficulties and infections, patients will be treated in comfort with speed and efficiency. This service is also coupled with a GP out of hours home visit service providing patients with 24 hour access to medical care.

Dr Eamon Brazil said “ The urgent care service has been developed and is led by fully trained and accredited Consultants in Emergency Medicine. All of our Emergency Medicine consultants listed on the specialist register for Emergency Medicine held by the Irish Medical Council. Between us we have more than 30 years experience in delivering Emergency Care at Consultant level and are affiliated with some of Dublin’s busiest teaching hospitals. Our patients can therefore be confident that they will receive appropriate emergency medicine expertise over a broad spectrum of medical and surgical illness.”

Designed to supplement and support existing GP services, Hibernian Health Xpress Med is now open to all members of the public; be they Hibernian Health members or non-members. The cost for assessment is €105 but Hibernian Health members access a discounted rate of €75.In many instances these conditions require diagnostic imaging which is also available on site. Hibernian Health Xpress Med users who have health insurance can avail of insurance cover as provided for any necessary imaging. This means less waiting and in most cases having treatment delivered over a single visit.

Commenting on the opening of the Hibernian Health Xpress Med Centre, Hibernian Health Marketing Director, Deirdre Ashe remarked “Hibernian Health is focussed on looking out for the health of consumers and being first to market with health improving treatments and benefits. Our new consultant led urgent care service gives consumers a real alternative to the busy and often overworked A&E Departments in Dublin’s main hospitals. This unique service comes in response to the evolving needs of our customers and offers the public a real choice of quality service unmatched in Ireland. ”

This new service will run in partnership with Charter Medical group who already operate a diagnostic medical imaging and screening services from their €15 million Smithfield location where Hibernian Health Xpress Med will operate this new emergency care service.

For more information on the Xpress Med facility visit www.hibernian.ie/health

Media enquiries

Niamh Garvey/Laura Mannion,
+ 353 1 260 5000

Note to editors

About Hibernian Health

Hibernian Health is the new name for VIVAS Health since 1st July
Hibernian Health currently holds in excess of 7% market share covering over 150,000 members with plans to aggressively grow the business to 500,000 members in the next 5 years.

Who can avail of Xpress Med Urgent Care Centre?

All adults and children over the age of four are welcome, whether they are a Hibernian Health member or not! But remember Hibernian Health members are entitled to discounted rates. Everyone can avail of a dedicated out of hours GP Home Visit service too.

What conditions are treated?

Injuries
Broken bones/joint dislocation
Ligament sprains/muscle & tendon tears
Sports Injuries
Wounds, bites, burns
Back pain/slipped disc
Chest/rib injury
Neck & back injury
Head injury/concussion

Urgent Illness

Non-Cardiac Chest pain
Breathing difficulties of mild to moderate severity
Limb pain/ swelling/ suspected leg clot
Infections and abscesses
Joint swelling/ acute arthritis
Abdominal pain
Headaches (other than suspected haemorrhage/meningitis)

Minor surgical procedures under local anaesthesia

Removal of cysts
In growing toenail surgery

What we do not treat

Children under 4 years of age
Pregnancy related conditions
Psychiatric conditions
Extremely ill patients who have collapsed or need hospital admission
RTA
Cardiac Conditions
Acute Medical or Trauma cases

What does it cost?

Medical Assessment
Hibernian Health member	€75*
Non Hibernian Health member	€105
Tests
Blood Test	At Cost
X-Ray (available on site)	€60-€90
Advanced Imaging (CT/MRI)	Available through medical insurance on site**
ECG	€10
Treatments
Stitching	€60-€90 (no charge to Hibernian Health members)
Plaster Of Paris	€50.00(no charge to Hibernian Health members)
Crutches	€40.00
Nebuliser	€20.00
Nurse Dressing Centre	€40.00
Orthopaedic limb splint	€15.00
Urinary Catheter insertion	€50.00
Minor Surgical Procedures	Price on request

* An added bonus for Hibernian Health members with day- to-day plans is that they can claim another €30 back per visit. All you have to do is send in your receipts at the end of the year and we’ll send you a cheque!

** Subject to Clinical indications

Contact

Just walk in or call 01 6579000 to make an appointment and be treated within one hour. Email xpressmed@chartermedical.ie for more information.

After hours (8pm – 8am) simply call 01 6579000 and be directed to our GP out of hours service.

Location of Hibernian Health Xpress Med Centre

The Forge, Smithfield Market, Dublin 7.The Centre is centrally located in Smithfield Market, Dublin and can be readily accessed:

By foot from the city centre
By bus from the city centre (Aston Quay) no.90, (Wellington Quay) No. 25, 25A, 66 & 67.
By Luas (just off the red line, Smithfield stop)
By Car – 1 hour free parking in multi-storey car park at rear of building. Have your parking ticket validated by Xpress Med.