Every second counts at Hemas Hospital’s Accident & Emergency unit

‘Being highly organized, leaving nothing to chance, standing by on a 24/7/365 basis have become the watchwords of Hemas Hospital’s Accident and Emergency (A&E) unit.  Regardless of the hour of day or night, team of experienced healthcare professionals are focused on getting the patient stabilized. Incorporating all the elements of emergency care, Hemas Hospitals recently underscored the importance of acting promptly when a trauma occurs and the priority of having the patient moved to the closest Emergency Care available, keeping in mind the precise nature of the trauma and avoiding handling them in a wrong manner, which might be more injurious.  

Offering the highest level of trauma care is a core component of Hemas Hospiital’s emergency medical system. The level of care for injured patients is continuously pursued through clinical care services, active research and education. The facility and its staff members provide 24-hour care, 365 days of the year, standing by to receive, stabilize, and treat those whose lives are threatened by multi-system, brain and orthopedic injuries, and those at risk for multiple system organ failure.
Dr Panna Gooneratne, Group Director, Clinical Excellence at Hemas Hospital Group said “In the world of health care, trauma is known as the great equalizer. Emergencies come unannounced, anywhere, at any time. Trauma doesn’t discriminate, and it can happen to anyone. That’s why it’s important for doctors and nurses to stay on top of their game, and ready to save lives when the clock is ticking. That is our offering at Hemas Hospital multi-chain”

The hospitals have special ambulance services, geared and equipped to particularly handle trauma victims of fall from heights, where preliminary medical care can be given at the scene. From neck collars, stirrups and spinal boards, the A&E mobile unit becomes the first line of trauma management, which is vital for patient’s complete recovery, mitigating risks associated with bad management of such trauma victims. 

In cautioning the general public on preliminary steps in handling victims of fall from heights, Dr Gooneratne was emphatic on the futility of trying to move such a patient. “Never attempt to lift or move them, as that may cause irreversible damage like snapping of spinal cord if there is a lumbar fracture etc”, he stressed. “Most often and due to ignorance, when a person falls from a tree or a ceiling (as in the case of a carpentry mason, tapper) or any height and in an attempt to help or rush them to the nearest hospital, patients are either lifted, dragged or made to sit, while transporting them to medical care” commented Dr Gooneratne. “The effects of this could be worse than the impact of the fall itself,” he went on to explain.

In a touching tribute to the hard work the trauma team puts in each day, and the integral role they play in providing compassionate emergency care, Dr Gooneratne said “It’s our mission to provide first-class service and high-quality care and the team is fully committed to our mantra – every second counts”. 
 “The comprehensive, multi-disciplinary A&E urgent care services in our premises is open 24 hours, 365 days of the year and staffed by experienced doctors and nurses who deliver initial rapid assessment and treatment and fast transfer to specialty units for patients who require highly specialized neurosurgical and other treatments by those specialty teams” Dr Gooneratne expressed.
“Patients suffering from major traumas, such as falls from heights, head or spinal cord injuries, multiple broken bones, or internal injuries, require a team of experts to reduce the chance of death or disability and the sooner arrangements are made to transport them immediately to emergency care, the better for them – as every second counts”, summed up Panna Gooneratne 
Hemas Hospitals (Pvt) Ltd is a subsidiary of Hemas Group, a leading Sri Lankan conglomerate that has business interests in four key sectors – FMCG, Healthcare, Transportation and Leisure. 
The multi-specialty hospital chain comprises of three full-service hospitals at Wattala, Galle and Thalawathugoda along with 33 fully equipped laboratories and provides community-based expert health care services by positioning its chain of hospitals in strategic locations outside the commercial hub of Colombo.