Due to water damage

New Oberwart Clinic: Three operating theaters out of service

Renewed water damage is now slowing down full operation in Oberwart.

(Bild: Gorodenkoff Productions OU)

A new case of water damage is slowing down operations at the new Oberwart Clinic. Three out of seven operating theaters now have to be shut down for a few days. What happens next ...

Burgenland's most modern clinic in Oberwart went into operation two weeks ago. It even went into full operation earlier than expected. Just a few days later, water damage has now put the brakes on operations. Due to water damage in an equipment room opposite the operating theaters, three out of seven operating theaters now have to take a longer break.

Protective wall being erected
Operations cannot be carried out there for two times five days because a dust protection wall has to be erected in this area to clean it up, according to Gesundheit Burgenland. Operations will now be suspended until May 26 while the protective wall is erected. Operations will continue in four operating theaters without restrictions - both acute and planned procedures.

Operations will continue in four operating theaters.

(Bild: Schulter Christian)

Effects manageable
From May 27, all seven operating theaters in the new Oberwart Clinic will be in operation again until the dust protection wall is removed on June 10, after which there will be a short break in three operating theaters. However, the effects are manageable - even though every single postponed operation can be stressful for those affected, which is regrettable, according to Gesundheit Burgenland.

However, it is not possible to say how many operations will have to be postponed in total. They will try to outsource as many as possible to other clinics or to the four open tables, and these plans are currently being made in consultation with patients.

Acute care maintained
The cause of the water damage is currently being investigated in more detail by experts and the companies involved; Gesundheit Burgenland currently assumes that an external company is to blame; a fastening of a water pipe may have been removed during work and accidentally not replaced. Gesundheit Burgenland emphasizes, however, that acute care will be maintained 100% 24 hours a day, seven days a week in the new clinic.

Second water damage
This is not the first case of water damage in the new building, as in March - shortly before the move - a technical fault also occurred in the dialysis unit in the new clinic. The damage was also discovered quickly back then and the hospital reacted immediately to prevent more serious damage.

As a result, dialysis will continue to take place in the old building until mid-June because the drying work was extended as a precaution after the pipe burst. But even here, all patients are receiving the best possible care, they say.