Princess Margaret Hospital

Partnerships

The Physicians Alliance Ltd. (PAL)

The Princess Margaret Hospital enjoys a unique joint-venture partnership with a group of Bahamian Doctors known as Physicians Alliance Limited (PAL). Under this partnership, Physicians Alliance is entrusted to manage the Private Ward services of the hospital. The objective of this partnership is to increase government revenues, reduce expenses and contribute to the overall advancement of the facility.

This partnership has flourished and model successes have been achieved. High on its list of accomplishments are that:

It has directly led to large improvements of the ambience and general hospital environment for private patients;
Patient Satisfaction has been significantly improved; as indicated by patient exit surveys;
The morale and job satisfaction of staff in the areas operated by PAL have improved; and
Improvements in the physicians’ loyalty to the institution are evident, as they are now stakeholders in the delivery of healthcare and an integral part of the management team of the hospital

Private Services

Private Inpatient Accommodations:
The Princess Margaret Hospital offers its in-patients a choice of public or private services. Public accommodations are arranged as open wards with the conventional Nightingale-style layout of beds. Private rooms are available with one or two bed options, with or without variations of en-suite bathroom facilities.

There are 18 beds on the Private Surgical Ward and 13 on the Private Medical Ward.

Private Theatre:
A private operating theatre & obstetric suite, located within the Private Surgical Area, are available for inpatient and out-patient surgery, as required.

Private Physician Services:
Private Patients must be admitted by a Private Physician who must either:

be a consultant /specialist employed by the PHA; or
have Admitting Privileges to tend to patients within PMH

Physician fees are billed separately by the doctor (and not included in the hospital bill).

Private Support Services:
Private services are supported by privately-managed units for Business Office, Dietary, Pharmacy, Escort, Housekeeping and Maintenance Services.

Private Patient Admission & Billing Procedures
The Private Business Office is the hub for patient admissions, billing, cashing and accounts management for all private ward patients. This office is located at the entrance to the Private Surgical Ward, east of the main lobby of the hospital; and is dedicated solely to servicing private ward patients.

On presenting to the Private Business Office, the patient or his/her representative submits the admission slip given by the doctor and /or indicates the reason for admission to the hospital.

Elective admission to the Private Wards will normally take place between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm. Alternative admission times may be arranged to accommodate the patient, or for procedures scheduled for the same day.

Emergency Admissions are facilitated through the Accident and Emergency Department, and financial arrangements must be completed at the first opportunity. Unfortunately, hospital policy dictates that, if a patient is unable to satisfy the financial requirements, he/she will be transferred to the Public Ward.

Pre-Admission
Preliminary tests (such as X-rays, ECG, etc.) may be ordered by your physician in order to expedite your admission and treatment.

All maternity patients are required to be registered by the seventh month of pregnancy for admission for labour and delivery.

“The YellowBirds” Volunteer Auxiliary

The Yellowbirds Volunteer Auxiliary was established in November 1966 as an invaluable partner of the Princess Margaret Hospital and continues to be a vibrant and ever increasing body of concerned citizens committed to supporting the hospital in a wide variety of ways.

The Group provides voluntary services, supports the purchase of modern technological equipment and financial assistance to staff development for the overall enhancement of quality healthcare for clients utilizing the hospital services.

Since its inception, the Yellowbirds scope of services have included:

Information desk services in the front lobby of the hospital;
A Gift Shop located in the hospital that supplies basic food items and toiletries for patients, families and staff;
A Canteen that provides snacks primarily for Out-Patient clients;
Clerical assistance in the wards and decorating of the hospital during holidays;
Financial assistance for the purchasing of modern medical equipment; and
Staff professional development.

The PMH Foundation:

The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation is a non-profit, charitable organization established in October 2003 to strengthen the hospital’s ability to provide healthcare of the highest quality in the Bahamas.

The PMH Foundation enhances patient care by:

Purchasing state-of-the-art medical equipment;
Promoting in-service education and staff development through education; and
Fostering goodwill in the community.