Medicross Roodepoort is celebrating two decades of care and service to the local community this November. Having opened its doors in 1999, the primary healthcare facility has expanded during this time to keep pace with the demand for medical and dental care, while retaining its character as a trusted healthcare partner to families and individuals in the community.
“Through the years, thousands of patients have come to rely on the general practitioners, dentists and support staff for their day-to-day healthcare needs,” Dr Billyy van der Merwe, managing director of Netcare’s primary healthcare division, said in congratulating Medicross Roodepoort on its milestone 20th birthday.
The manager of Medicross Roodepoort, Peter Heilig, notes that the thriving facility has been fortunate to attract and retain excellent healthcare partners – a number of whom have practiced there since day one.
“Dr Jan Louis Kruger and Dr Christo Van Zyl have been managing the medical and dental practitioners respectively from the very outset. General practitioners Dr Willem Steynberg, Dr Johannes Vorster, Dr Anton Smook and Dr Pieter Van der Westhuizen are also celebrating 20 years of service to the community here at Medicross Roodepoort,” says Heilig.
Heilig himself is a veteran at Medicross Roodepoort, having become practice and clinic manager only three months after the facility opened.
Roodepoort Medicross is celebrating 20 years of caring service to the community. (Left to right) Customer care consultants, Hanaaz Stevens and Audrey Sauls; team leader customer care, Suzette Matthys; admin controller Miemie Van Tonder; general practitioner, Dr Pieter Coetsee, and customer care consultant, Ilze Green.
Medicross Roodepoort dentist, Dr Kyle de Villiers, and dental chair assistant, Florence Tau, are pictured with young patient, Awande Mkhize.
“We are also most fortunate to have a long association with Dr Albert Venter and Dr Jimmy Zweep, both of whom joined us from their private practice in Breaunanda; Dr Pieter Coetsee and Dr Martin Dunne joined us from other Medicross facilities; while Dr Eugene Van der Walt started practicing here some 11 years ago. Dr Zelda Brits and Dr Riaan Calitz are the most recent valued additions to our team of 12 medical doctors. On the dental side, Dr Christo Van Zyl, Dr Kyle de Villiers and Dr Jurgen Pakendorf take good care of the dental and oral health of the community we serve,” Heilig adds.
Other healthcare practitioners at Medicross Roodepoort include clinical psychologist Dr Elsabe Jordaan, an aesthetic clinic run by Dr Martin Dunne, and a clinical research centre managed by Dr Eugene van der Walt as Principal Investigator, which has participated in late phase clinical studies for a number of medicines approved by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA).
In 2012, when a fire broke out at the Princess Crossing shopping centre where Medicross Roodepoort is based, the Medicross healthcare professionals and support staff had no hesitation in providing what assistance they could to those who were affected, as well as to the emergency services members who responded.
“The fire broke out at approximately 5am, and destroyed the premises of many other tenants of the centre. Although Medicross was spared any damage, the facility had to be evacuated and remained closed for the rest of the day. Nevertheless, we wanted to assist our neighbours in any way possible and our doctors made themselves available to medically assess a number of people for possible smoke inhalation,” Heilig recalls.
“We at Medicross Roodepoort are part and parcel of our community, and are involved in a number of community outreach initiatives. Our professional nursing team under the leadership of charge sister, Gustav Grib, has enthusiastically provided, for example, free cholesterol, glucose and blood pressure screenings, as well as weight and height measurements for monitoring community members’ health status during several recent Pop Up Gym sessions organised by Letshego Zulu and Khethiwe Mlangeni, the co-founders of Pop Up Gym. The most recent Pop Up Gym was held at Medicross The Berg in Bergbron,” says Heilig.
“Our medical practitioners also provide much needed medical support services at the nearby Gateway Village clinic as part of our community outreach projects. The Gateway Village provides both accommodation and employment opportunities for mentally challenged adults residing within our community,” adds Heilig.
“It is a privilege to serve this community, and I would like to thank each and every person who has entrusted Medicross Roodepoort with their primary healthcare needs over the years. I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to our staff for their loyal service, as well as to our valued medical and dental practitioners, many of whom are fellow residents within our community and whose expertise and experience continue to greatly benefit our patients,” Heilig concludes.
Ends
Issued by: MNA on behalf of Medicross Roodepoort
Contact: Martina Nicholson, Graeme Swinney, Meggan Saville or Estene Lotriet-Voster
Telephone: (011) 469 3016
Email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected]