<Vinohradská hospital> will acquire a new building, the old ones may be sold

Prague - A part of the Vinohrady Hospital could be sold or rented in the future. A new modern building will be constructed in the hospital complex by 2013, which will accommodate several currently outdated pavilions, including the trauma center. The project was presented by the hospital management today. The construction, which will reach a height of 11 floors in some places, is expected to cost 3.6 billion crowns, with an additional billion required for medical equipment.
The costs will be covered by so-called strategic investments approved by the government of Mirek Topolánek (ODS) in the spring, with funding also provided by the Ministry of Health. According to the hospital's director, Marek Zeman, the hospital intends to financially participate in the construction. Equipment will be purchased after the construction is completed in 2013, and the money for it is expected to primarily come from European sources.
"The buildings of the clinics that will be vacated after the new pavilion is completed can be transferred to the 3rd Faculty of Medicine of Charles University, sold, or rented. The revenues from this operation would then reduce the financial burden of constructing the new pavilion," stated the hospital's materials.
"The interest of investors generally depends on the location, the technical condition of the property, and of course the price at which the hospital would like to sell a part of its area. In the case of the hospital in Vinohrady, the location is excellent, and if the price is set correctly, I assume a buyer would certainly be found," said Jan Kovařínský, an investment consultant from the international consulting company King Sturge, to ČTK. According to him, this type of building is most often used abroad for residential purposes, often for seniors, private sanatoriums, or wellness centers, and occasionally for hotels and hostels.
The construction of the new section is expected to begin in the summer of 2010. The project is already in place, developed by architects from Helika, who were selected by the hospital in a public tender. The documentation for the zoning decision should be completed this November. The project has the support of the capital city, which has leased land to the hospital free of charge. Today, the press conference was represented by Prague's ODS leader for the parliamentary elections, David Vodrážka.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Marek Šnajdr (ODS), told ČTK that the reason for a potential sale or lease is not the need to raise money for the construction of the pavilion. These funds are already secured, according to him. "The question of selling or renting will not be on the table before 2012. At this moment, it is premature to consider it," he noted.
Director Zeman indicated that the hospital will likely want to dispose of only the oldest buildings. "We will vacate those buildings, and the state will decide what to do with them next," Zeman said. The government would decide on any potential sale or lease.
Some clinics will be relocated to the new pavilion. In addition to trauma care, the new facility is also expected to include a cardiology center, surgery, plastic surgery, neurology, orthopedics, intensive care, and other departments. The pavilion will have 770 beds, 21 operating rooms, 60 outpatient clinics, and a rooftop helipad. Medical students will also find facilities in the new building.
According to the hospital's leadership, the reason for the construction is that most of the current hospital pavilions are outdated. "Seventy percent of the buildings are older than 40 years. They can be repaired, but not renovated to meet the demands of 21st-century medicine," said Zeman. Thanks to the new building, three-quarters of the hospital will be under one roof, while some departments that are not as urgent will remain in other pavilions but will be connected to the main building via overhead bridges.
The Faculty Hospital of Královské Vinohrady currently has 1,279 beds. The hospital admits over 48,000 patients annually. Additionally, doctors treat about 600,000 patients annually in more than 60 outpatient clinics. The hospital employs around 2,500 staff.