By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

IN TWO weeks, the newly built Medi Center Clinic located on Prince Charles Drive and Beatrice Avenue will open its doors to the public.

After five years of construction, the new clinic is now completed, and will officially begin operating on September 3.

Designed as a “one stop shop” for basic health care services, the new clinic will offer a range of services, including all of those now offered at the Prince Charles Shopping Centre location.

“We will continue obstetrics and gynaecology. We will also offer dental services, full x-rays, ultra sounds, and mammograms. We will also have a lab and pharmacy,” said Managing Physician Dr Christopher Basden, during a press conference Monday.

The lab will support physicians with a complete range of haematology, microbiology, parasitology, and clinical chemistry testing.

Raymond Dames, public relations officer at the Medi Center said this is one of the only places where people can get dental care all day and on weekends.

The new medical plaza has four main areas which will operate between 8am-10pm. There will also be speciality clinics including psychiatry, obstetrics, and dermatology, which will operate on specific days of the week during specified hours.

The three story building also houses a full conference and training facility on the top floor.

Although the clinic is not an acute care centre, it does have an ambulance entrance near the acute care resuscitation suite.  

“Typically, an ambulatory medical plaza is an outpatient facility that houses general medical practitioners (GPs) such as doctors and nurses to provide ambulatory care and some acute care services but lacks the major surgical and pre-­ and post-­‐ operative care facilities commonly associated with hospitals,” Dr Basden said.

“We have to be able to provide a certain level of care. If there is a severe emergency, we would be able to give the person the support they need,” said Dr Basden.

After September, the old clinic will be used for another purpose, Dr Basden told Tribune Health.

“We are going to continue to remain in our old space for the purpose of referring patients here. We don’t have anything conclusive yet but the intention is to possibly utilise it as a wellness centre.”

“It is our intention not to operate medical services there but medical services here at the new clinic.”

The new clinic is the brainchild of three leading physicians: Dr Christopher Basden, Dr James Johnson and Dr Nicholas Fox. 

Minister of Health Dr Perry Gomez hailed their teamwork and saluted them for the strides they have made in the medical field.

“I encourage you to continue with the team concept. When I went to Johns Hopkins some years ago they had the acronym team in the foyer. It spelled out, Together, Everyone, Achieves, More. So it is a wonderful acronym and I use it quite often and what you have demonstrated is in the spirit of the acronym,” he said.

 Dr Gomez also said only quality care will be provided at the new facility.

“This is really a wonderful edifice I trust, and I am sure given their tract record in the practice of medicine, it will be of the same calibre if not higher than that of the quality of the building. This clinic will provide intensive family practice, clinical, and preventative care services for our people.”