Queen Ingrid's Hospital

Queen Ingrid's Hospital (Greenlandic: Dronning Ingridip Napparsimmavissua) is a hospital in Nuuk, Greenland. The hospital is the central hospital of Greenland. There is a 12-bed psychiatric ward. Some forensic patients have to be transferred to a special ward in Denmark.[1]

Queen Ingrid's Hospital
Queen Ingrid's Hospital is located in Greenland
Queen Ingrid's Hospital
Geography
LocationNuuk, Greenland
Coordinates64°10′09″N 51°44′17″W / 64.16916°N 51.73805°W / 64.16916; -51.73805
Organisation
FundingGovernment hospital
TypeGeneral
Services
Beds130
History
Opened1953
Links
ListsHospitals in Greenland
Other linkswww.peqqik.gl

In extension of the hospital, the local health center, Queen Ingrid's Health Center, is located. It operates separately from the main hospital.

In 2022 the health commission concluded a brand new hospital was needed to replace the current one,[2] which has been talked about since 2020 by Naalakkersuisut.[3]

History

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Portrait of Queen Ingrid in the foyer of the hospital

The hospital was established in 1953 and initially was a sanatorium for pulmonary diseases.[4] Which is where the nick name for the hospital, "Sana", comes from. In 1961 the hospital got its current name, and it got its status as the national hospital.[5] Being the national hospital of Greenland, patients from every part of the country can be transferred if their regional hospital can't treat their illnesses.

In March 2011 the local health center and a new national pharmacy was inaugurated.[6] The design of the buildings takes the form of sunken angular blocks and is clad in copper both on the facades and roof. The architecture by C. F. Møller Architects is inspired by the ice floes that float in Nuup Kangerlua and the image of Sermitsiaq.[7] A year later, in October 2012, a new emergency center was opened.[8] The center includes an ICU, an ER (which is operated by the health center, not the hospital) and new operating rooms. In February 2018 an IMCU ward was opened.[9]

Patient transport to the hospital

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Non-emergency admissions can be planned via regular scheduled flights. Emergency admissions can take place via evacuation from all over Greenland using King Air ambulance flight or helicopters operated by Air Greenland.

There are not always specialist doctors available in Greenland, therefore elective admissions are planned ahead for when there specialts available. Acute and subacute cases which can't be handled by the available staff, will be conferred with Rigshospitalet in Denmark, to where patients can be evacuated if needed.

In rare cases evacuations to Reykjavík can take place, if the distance is shorter from the patient's place to there compared with the distance to Queen Ingrid's Hospital, for example Ittoqqortoormiit.

Departments

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Queen Ingrid's Health Center

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Queen Ingrid's Health Center

Queen Ingrid's Health Center is the local health center of Nuuk. Organizationally, it is not part of the hospital, but is built in extension of the hospital. The health center is run by specialists in family medicine and registered nurses. The prescribed medicine is free of charge, and can be collected in the national pharmacy.

Department of Medicine

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The Department of Medicine includes two general wards, M1 and M2, as well as several outpatient clinics. Since 2014 a need for an expansion of the children ward has been discussed.[10][11]

Department of Surgery

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The Department of Surgery includes three general wards. K1 (orthopedic surgery), K2 (parenchymal surgery and urology), K3 (gynecology and obstetrics), several outpatient clinics, and a maternity ward.

Emergency department

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The Emergency department includes an intermediate intensive care unit (IMCU), an intensive care unit (ICU) with an integrated Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Department of Psychiatry

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The hospital has one general psychiatric ward, A1, as well as several outpatient clinics. Since 2018 a new psychiatric building has been planned.[12] The project has been delayed by budget overruns,[13] and several cancellations of tenders.[14]

Department of Radiology

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In 2005 the Danish entrepreneur and millionaire Svend Junge who lived most of his life in Greenland, donated a new CT scanner to Queen Ingrid's Hospital.[15] It was in use until 2017 when two new CT scanners were bought by the hospital itself.[16]

In 2012 the British Candy Foundation donated a new MRI machine.[17] It was used until 2023 when the Danish Kirsten & Freddy Johansens Foundation donated a new machine to the hospital.[18]

References

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  1. ^ "Agency for Health and Prevention (Greenland)". Mastermind Project. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  2. ^ "Sundhedskommissionen: Sundvæsenet mangler 800 millioner kroner til renovering og nybyggeri". KNR. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Kæmpe projekt: Landshospital skal fornyes for en halv milliard". Sermitsiaq. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  4. ^ Archives of environmental health, Volume 17. American Medical Association, American Academy of Occupational Medicine, Society for Occupational and Environmental Healthm Heldref Publications. 1968.
  5. ^ Sommer, Karsten. "Tuberkulose blev opdaget ved royalt besøg". KNR. Archived from the original on 6 April 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  6. ^ "Kobberbygningen indvies på torsdag". Sermitsiaq. Archived from the original on 6 April 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  7. ^ "Go with the floe..." World Architecture News. Archived from the original on 2011-03-07. Retrieved 2011-02-07.
  8. ^ Broberg, Hanne. "Agathe har indviet akutcenter". Sermitsiaq. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  9. ^ "Ny afdeling på Dronning Ingrids Hospital skaber bedre service og patientoplevelse". Naalakkersuisut. Archived from the original on 17 February 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  10. ^ "DIH: Vi ønsker også bedre børneforhold". Sermitsiaq. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  11. ^ "Dronning Ingrids Hospital skal udvides". Sermitsiaq. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  12. ^ "Psykisk syge har udsigt til bedre forhold". Sermitsiaq. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  13. ^ "Stor millionlussing i psykiatri-byggeri". Sermitsiaq. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  14. ^ "Tredje gang er lykkens gang: Naalakkersuisut giver endnu engang ny psykiatribygning et skud". KNR. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  15. ^ "Mangemillionær hjælper hospital". KNR. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  16. ^ "2500 patienter kan se frem til bedre behandling med nye CT-scannere". KNR.
  17. ^ "Godt nyt til især kræftpatienter". Sermitsiaq. 14 September 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  18. ^ "Fond donerer MR-scanner: Mimi Karlsen udtrykker stor taknemmelighed". Sermitsiaq. 30 June 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
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