The founders of the hospital—
the Sisters of Charity—have
imparted and influenced
the values, mission, and
traditions of St Vincent’s
Private Hospital Sydney
since its inception. Adjunct
Professor Jose Aguilera
OAM, the Director of Nursing
and Clinical Services, is
particularly proud of the
exceptional care provided
to the local, interstate, and
international community
the hospital serves.“We have a hard-earned
reputation that is second to
none, as we take great care of
our patients here, and people
recognise that,” he said.We had the opportunity to
speak with Aguilera, a 40-
year veteran of the healthcare
industry in pursuit of his
doctorate in health, on this
and the hospital’s upcoming
services and improvements.Accreditations
St Vincent’s Private Hospital
Sydney’s standards of
excellence are recognised by
several institutions, including
the Australian Council for
Healthcare Standards (ACHS)
and the American Nurses
Credentialing Centre (ANCC).The hospital’s relationship
with ACHS goes back 34
years. The association ensures
hospitals have systems in
place to maintain quality
and safety in healthcare, and
accreditation is necessary
for hospitals to receive
adequate compensation
from private health insurance
companies. The four-year
cycle for accreditation, which
includes self-assessments and
organisational reviews, carries
with it 15 standards that all
must be met for accreditation.“The process is complex, and
for good reason. Hospitals
have to demonstrate—and
prove empirically—that
throughout the four-year
accreditation period the
hospital is continually
improving in these standards,”
Aguilera shared.The hospital is also currently
in pursuit of Magnet re-
designation status from
ANCC. This international
gold standard of hospital
excellence is not easy to
achieve—only 6 per cent
of hospitals in the U.S.
are Magnet recognised.“It’s a very rigorous process,
but it’s worth it,” Aguilera said.“As a Magnet-recognised
hospital we retain and attract
quality staff. SVPHS is the only
private Hospital in Australia
and the Southern Hemisphere
that is Magnet designated.”Redevelopment Plan
The leaders at St Vincent’s
Private Hospital Sydney
recently completed the
campus clinical planning
process, which outlines
ways the hospital can meet
the projected demand for
healthcare needs in the region.To meet these needs of the
growing and aging population
in New South Wales, St
Vincent’s Private Hospital
Sydney expanded its capacity,
as well as renovated the
existing building, some of
which was 40 years old.The biggest part of this plan
was a focus on extending
the hospital services, with
additional bed capacity and
three new operating theaters.
The hospital also aimed to
provide ambulatory services.“We need to be providing
care beyond these hospital
walls,” Aguilera said. “St
Vincent’s Private is dedicated
to the promotion of wellness,44 | VENTURE Success | June 2018
ST VINCENT’S PRIVATE HOSPITAL SYDNEY