Epworth HealthCare celebrates 100 years of care

This month, Epworth HealthCare celebrates 100 years of care.

From early beginnings in 1920 as a 25-bed community hospital in Richmond, Epworth has grown to become Victoria’s largest not-for-profit private hospital group with 11 sites, including Epworth Geelong.

Established thanks to a founding philanthropic gift 100 years ago, Epworth has since expanded its services across a range of medical, surgical, rehabilitation and mental health specialties providing care for everyone from newborns to the elderly.

Today, Epworth provides more than 40 specialty areas of medicine supported by 3,000 affiliated doctors, more than 7,000 passionate staff and hundreds of volunteers. With over 200,000 patient admissions recorded in the last financial year alone, Epworth is making a difference to the lives of many Victorians.

“Victorians have entrusted Epworth with their care for 100 years and at Epworth Geelong we’re honoured to continue this tradition of care for the Greater Geelong region well beyond 2020,” Epworth Geelong acting general manager Leonie Lloyd said.

“Celebrating the Centenary of Epworth HealthCare at Epworth Geelong not only acknowledges and celebrates our organisations past, but also the recognises the achievements of our staff and medical experts who provide outstanding care to the Greater Geelong community every day.”

“The team at Epworth Geelong are proud to be part of Epworth’s rich history and are excited to be part of the organisations future ongoing commitment to education, research and innovation to improve the health, wellbeing and experiences of future generations of Victorians.”

Since opening in Geelong in 2016, Epworth has continued to deliver on its goal of providing an outstanding healthcare facility of choice for Greater Geelong and South West Victoria by pioneering treatments and services to improve the health, wellbeing and experience of patients, including:

• The first hospital in Geelong to offer Neurosurgical services
• The introduction of radiation therapy technology through Icon Cancer Centre, the only private radiation oncology service in Geelong
• Delivery of public health services under a health contract managed by Barwon Health for the provision of services including same day surgery, chemotherapy and renal dialysis to help manage waiting lists for public patients in the region
• The first ‘quiet hospital’ with all patient call bells directed to staff mobile units rather than public speakers to aid patient recovery and experience
• The first hospital in Geelong to offer an al-la-carte menu, allowing patients to order their meals for a time that suits them

In 2020, Epworth Geelong now employ over 1,000 people across all areas of the hospital. In addition to its current employees, Epworth Geelong continues to develop the region’s future workforce in conjunction with Deakin University through purpose designed training and education programs for medical, nursing and allied health students.

As part of centenary celebrations, staff, specialists, volunteers and patients all received special mementos to mark the occasion.

To learn more about Epworth and the centenary, head to blog.epworth.org.au/100.