€5m medical facility opens

EUROMEDIC Ireland has expanded its operations to Cork with the opening of a diagnostic facility in the Elysian building in the city.

Its aim is to make diagnostic healthcare more accessible in the Munster region and up to €5 million has been invested in this latest facility.

Its plan is to offer fast turnaround to diagnostic services, including MRI, X-ray and ultrasound, at a competitive price.

It expects to treat approximately 20,000 people next year.

This 14,000 sq foot centre will offer walk-in facilities to outpatients at a cost that is 20% to 25% lower than other service providers. such as the public and private hospitals.

Appointments and results will take roughly 48 hours to process.

From January, Euromedic Cork will also provide a health screening service called Euromedic Health Watch, offering a range of health screening from €195 to €395.

“Our aim at Euromedic Ireland is to put the patient first,” said Paddy Creedon, chief executive, Euromedic Ireland.

The group is having a significant impact since entering the Irish market in 2007.

It operates four fixed diagnostic centres in Dublin and Cork, one in Sligo – in partnership with the HSE and one in Belfast – in partnership with the Ulster Independent Clinic.

The locations mean most people are within a one-and-half hour drive from any one of the centres, said Mr Creedon.

Since entering the market the group has invested a total of €40m in building up a strong presence here.

Its focus in the period ahead will be to “consolidate” and extend the range of services on offer to the Irish public.

Research shows that the group is highly-competitive in what it charges and that commitment to “value for money” will be maintained, said Mr Creedon.

Formerly South Terrace X-ray, Euromedic Cork has a long established expertise in mammography, working with the county’s top breast consultants.

Until recently it was co-owned by radiographers, Sandra O’Donnell and Peter C Murphy, who developed the centre into one of the busiest breast imaging facilities in the country.

Both Ms O’Donnell and Mr Murphy have joined the senior management team at Euromedic Cork.

It is part of the Hungarian-based group, Euromedic International, set up in Hungary in the early 1990s following the collapse of communism to provide a more efficient health service for the people.

In today’s climate, Mr Creedon said the group’s founding principles makes it an “appropriate vehicle” as an efficient provider of health care in this economy going forward.