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attention. We needed to offer our patients more

complex treatment, and in some cases, introduce

services that were missing. Currently, we managed

to complete most of our strategic goals, with only

a couple of exceptions, within a short in of time.

“

Currently,

we managed to complete

most of our strategic goals,

with only a couple of exceptions,

within a short amount of time.

”

You have accomplished some major goals since

starting in your position at the hospital: You

opened a Obesity Treatment Center, a Sleep

Laboratory and also a reservation office, to just

name a few. What is your next goal? Are you

planning anything major for the hospital this year?

We have about thirty projects lined up for this year,

some of them are larger than others.

Since the hospital’s founding in 1969, local citizens

have been calling for Haví řov to get its own

Orthopedic Clinic. Having long waiting times in

Czechia‘s hospital‘s is nothing new, patients have

to wait quite a while to, for example, get a hip and

joint replacement, and the pandemic only extended

these waiting times. One of our goals, therefore, is

to offer Haví řov citizens a large Orthopedic Clinic,

so that they do not have to travel to other cities

to get treatment. We should be able to conduct

our first orthopedic surgeries around the middle

of this year.

“

Our Urology Clinic

has reached a level comparable

to top class clinics

and University hospitals

around the country.

”

Another significant milestone that we hit was

becoming Czechia’s 13th hospital to receive

approval from the Ministry of Health and

Instrument Commission to implement Robotic

Surgery. The Haví řov hospital currently possesses

all four clinics that make use of this technology

(mainly urology, general surgery, gynecology, and

otorhinolaryngology). Thanks to this, our hospital

may also serve as a Regional Education Center

for Robotic Surgery. I believe that in 10-20 years,

robots will be a part of every major hospital.

We have also built a top Mammography Clinic,

where we are striving to obtain the status of

a screening center, we are renovating and opening

a top sextepartum by the end of the year, we are

building a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. In short,

there is plenty to look forward to.

What do you think makes the Havířov hospital

special? Why do patients from nearby towns and

cities make the trip to your hospital?

In general, the hospital is unique for the complexity of

the care that it can provide. Not all city hospitals are

equipped to provide the optimal spectrum of care,

which allows patients to get complete treatment in

a single facility. The quality of care within some of

our departments has started attracting people from

outside the region as well, for example, our Urology

clinic has reached a level comparable to top class

Clinics and University hospitals around the country.

Other departments that have reached a similar

level include our Hemato-oncology, Psychiatry,

the aforementioned Center for the Treatment of

Obesity and our Maternity Ward. Our Maternity

Ward has become sought after not only by local

patients, but even by those from far away, for

example in Slovakia.

Another significant milestone

“

that we hit was becoming Czechia’s

13th hospital to receive approval

to implement Robotic Surgery.

”

What is your view on the cooperation with

the city government, and how do you plan to

develop this relationship in the future?

Our current relationship with the city government

is in a great place, the city considers the hospital as

part of its services. The city supports the hospital

even though it is not it‘s operator. Each year, we

revise the hospital’s needs, and try to focus on

something that is not only a part of the healthcare

we provide, but also something that is a part of

what the locals need specifically. This motivates the

local government to pitch in and help the citizens.

How do you, as a hospital director, manage all

the pressure put on you? Do you have a favorite

place in the MS region where you go to clear your

head?

Definitely the Medvědí Skála. I take this trail to

Lysá mountain multiple times a year on either skis

or a bike. Once you have gotten part way up this

trek, you come upon a curious rock formation,

that is Medvědí Skála. When you climb up, it

offers a great vantage point with a beautiful view

of the Ostravice valley. Being there reminds me

of the feeling one gets when reaching the peak of

a very tall mountain, the feeling of being incredibly

small when compared to the large expanse of

the universe.

Mr. Schellong, thank you for the interview.

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