Mechelen (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): AZ Sint-Maarten hospital in Mechelen Noord has expanded significantly since its opening in 2018 adding over 50 doctors and increasing patient visits by 24%. A new three-floor extension is planned to enhance services and parking with construction starting on August 9 affecting access for some patients.
The hospital in Mechelen-Noord AZ Sint-Maarten started in 2018 which was a big deal for healthcare in the area. After it opened the hospital has grown a lot and gotten bigger. In the last six years the hospital has added more than 50 new doctors. With more doctors they are having more appointments at the hospital. Because of these changes and offering more services the number of patients coming to AZ Sint-Maarten has gone up by 24 percent since it first opened. The hospital has grown bigger and can now help more people in the area. By adding more doctors and services the hospital has become a major healthcare provider in the region.
How is AZ Sint-Maarten hospital in Mechelen adapting to increased patient demand and expanding its facilities?
People from nearby areas like Rant, Zest, Londerzeel and Heist-op-den-Berg are also coming to the hospital in Mechelen. This means the hospital is helping people from a bigger area not just the local folks. More people are going to the hospital but they are staying for a shorter time. This could be because treatments are getting better there are more options for care outside the hospital or the hospital is working faster. Healthcare is evolving to help people get better quicker and spend less time in the hospital while still getting good care.
To handle the problem of not enough rooms for appointments they are going to make the hospital bigger. The new part will be on the northeast side and will have three floors with a total area of 1,750 square meters. This new section will have a new clinic to see patients and also an underground parking lot to help with parking issues. The new parking lot will replace the current one used by radiotherapy patients, emergency services and the on-call doctor. This change is meant to make hospital operations smoother and give patients and visitors a better experience with more space and improved facilities.
From 9 August the construction work will affect parking and access at the hospital. Radiotherapy patients will have a different entrance to make sure they can still come for their appointments easily. Emergency patients needing to park for more than 30 minutes will be guided to the parking building since the current Parking 1 will be in the construction area and not usable during this time. For most people coming to the hospital there won’t be many changes. The main differences will be for those using Parking 1 and radiotherapy patients. The hospital wants to make sure everyone can still easily get in and out during the construction time.
