HEARTBEAT: CINTOCARE PRETORIA HEAD AND NECK – AN AFRICAN FIRST

As Dr Sarel JP Botha will tell you, it all started 10 years ago with a dream that a doctor had, for a doctor-owned hospital, with the aim to enhance service delivery to patients.

Today, that dream is a reality, with the magnificent eleven thousand square meter surgical Cintocare Pretoria Head and Neck Hospital gracing the Gauteng skyline and providing a haven of tranquillity and quality care for its patients.

Developed by Growthpoint and Cintocare, the hospital’s building cost an estimated R470 million. Working together, Growthpoint and Cintocare created a clinical centre featuring high skilled and specialised medical professionals, utilising state-of-the-art technology, while focusing exclusively on head and neck, spinal and vascular surgery.

The 100-bed, 5-theatre hospital, with the capacity to expand to 160-beds in the future, is the first hospital in both South Africa and Africa to receive a Green Star rating. Cintocare received a five-Green Star Customer Healthcare design certification from the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA). Through setting new standards for sustainability in the South African healthcare sector, Cintocare Hospital’s green building rating was achieved through an architectural design that incorporates many sustainable design principles.

The exterior of the building reflects its fundamental purpose, meaning that the glass façade also serves to shade the building, and will be complemented by design features evocative of spinal vertebra found in the neck. The hospital also has a direct access-link to the retail and restaurants of Menlyn Maine Central Square, which boasts 1,300 parking bays.

Head of Corporate Finance at Growthpoint, George Muchanya, explains that Growthpoint Healthcare Property Holdings’ investment mandate allows it to invest in green field investments thus playing a leading role in promoting the growth of the healthcare sector by providing the capital to build new healthcare facilities.

Rudolf Pienaar, Growthpoint’s new Chief Investment and Development Officer, says, “We have worked closely with Cintocare to create a tailor-made, high-performance space, which includes positive social and environmental impacts.”

The building itself is centred around the hospital’s clinical installation to seamlessly support the surgeons’ optimal delivery of specialised services, accommodate and operate specialised state-of-the-art equipment, and provide a world-class facility for patients.

Andre Brink from Cintocare, says, “The development responds to the real need for a specialist hospital of this kind in South Africa. With its keen focus and exceptional synergy, this development partnership has been the driving force behind unlocking the unique opportunity for South Africa that is the Pretoria Head and Neck Hospital.”

Hutz Medical is proud to be associated with this project and supplied Bedhead Service Systems (HU21-01 and HU24-02) as well as Theatre Control Panels (HU13-05).