160 YEARS OF AN EMBLEM HOSPITAL FOR URUGUAY

The British Hospital celebrates 160 years of service provided to the community The British Hospital is one of the oldest institutions in the country and its origins go back to the second half of the XX century. It was inaugurated with the name of "Foreign Hospital" and its first headquarters was a house with 13 beds on Cerrito Street in Ciudad Vieja. Although there is no evidence of the date of its inauguration, it is known that the first patient, named George Mesch, was admitted on August 8th, of 1857. In 1862 its name was changed to British Hospital, and in 1866 it was moved to a new location as the number of patients vastly exceeded the original capacity. Aiming to be adapted to the demand, the hospital especially built a local on Patagones Street - today Juan Lindolfo Cuestas - at the end of Street Sarandí. Consequently, the small hospital with 13 beds started a process of growth and modernization that nowadays has become a product of the vision, the entrepreneurial capacity and the determination of a British Community that had great influence in the country way of life. Throughout these 160 years there were difficulties, economic crisis and wars that left a mark in the country, as well as the commitment, the ingenuity and the dedication of the authorities and the hospital personal staff to overcome them and keep on going ahead. In 1913 there was a key moment in the history of the hospital when the new headquarters was inaugurated in its current location in Tres Cruces. The design of the building was quite advanced for those times, with a modern and solid structure that today is not only an architectural reference of Montevideo, but also at a health services level all over the country. In that time the hospital which was located in Tres Cruces had 24 rooms with 66 beds on the ground floor for hospitalization and patients´ care, to which other rooms were added. One of the characteristics of the British Hospital during these 160 years has been its special dedication to human resources, considered its main asset. The Hospital has been in charge of training and permanently updating its employees in order to establish, preserve and deep into a policy of excellence in the provision of health services. This tradition allowed the referring physicians to lead - and led in their respective specialties the different hospital services, and the training of the nursing staff, giving the institution an identity that has remained intact. The "spirit" of the British Hospital, which has characterized and distinguished it through these 160 years of experience, is reflected in the integration of the professional and technical excellence with the treatment given to the patient, based on the basic premise of the respect for its human dignity. The most valued one The development and care for the patient have led the British Hospital to be the most recognized health center in the country. According to the 2016 Health Market Monitor Survey carried out by “Opción Consultores”, the Centre is the most valued health care institution by Uruguayans. The respondents emphasized the quality and quickness of medical and non-medical healthcare, facilities, and medical and technological equipment. In the words of the British Hospital Chairman of the Board of Directors Paul Beare: "The British Hospital is a non-profit institution that follows a policy of permanent investment in what equipment and innovation in technology are concerned, building development, training of its Human resources, knowledge generation and relation with other institutions – not only the National but also the International ones - that add value to its proposal of excellence." Another characteristic of the institution is the development of scientific agreements cooperation and exchange of knowledge with all the universities of the country, whose Medical students perform residencies and specializations in the hospital. EXCELLENCE AS A GOAL The passage of time and the changes in the country led to successive extensions of the central building designed to answer to the requirements of each service, as well as the construction of new infrastructure and the decentralization of benefits, always with the member as the main reference. In 2008 the Polyclinic was inaugurated on Morales Street, and in 2015 the Carrasco Polyclinic was added on Bolivia Street, which has facilitated the access of British Hospital members to the specialties and services which are provided there. In recent years an extension of the central building was also inaugurated, providing the hospital with new rooms, a latest technology CTI and a surgical block that meets the most demanding international standards. The Imaging and Oncology departments were relocated in areas considered according to their specific requirements, gaining in physical space, equipment and support to its benefits and services. To this was added the new Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, which is a reference model for Uruguay. "160 years of activity is a source of pride and happiness. We want to express all our gratitude to those who preceded us and showed us the way, even if they are no longer physically with us. The best tribute is, based on their legacy, looking always to the future, willing to improve and overcome ourselves every day. Looking for excellence and keeping alive the spirit of the British Hospital is the best homage we can do”, expresses the President Paul Beare.