The Faroe Islands. The world’s most appealing destination.
Archipelago with 18 islands covering 1399 km2.Highest mountain = 882 m. Population Feb 2014: 48’308 – 20’000 live in the metropolitan area of the capital Tórshavn. Self governing region of the Kingdom of Denmark since 1948. 2 minutes tourism movie here.
Read about the history here; the Irish abbot St. Brendan AD 565 and the norse settlers in the 9th century.
Healthcare. The small big hospital in Tórshavn.
Landssjúkrahúsið – the national hospital of the Faroe Islands.
The history – «Søga». Started in 1924 – the Dronning Aleksandrines Hospital (Queen Alexandrines Hospital). The colored picture is from 2012.
Facts:
– 180 beds, some 850 employees
– About 9’000 patients a year
– 29 healthcare areas, divided into five treatment centres, research bord
– And some 60.000 outpatients, 524.000 analysis in clinical chemistry as well as 34.000 X-ray examinations per year
– International Patient Service
– By far the largest public institution in the Faroe Islands
– The ambition and mission statement here
The Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health in total: 300 beds, 900 employees, 13’000 patients a year.
Research areas with scientific personnel: Marine contaminants and developmental health.
WOW: They have already an Electronic Health Record (Cosmic Gambio) system that connects the entire national health service. And there is free Wifi in all units.
New Building project for 2019 – hospital’s 95 anniversary.
To have a look into the daily life of this unique main hospital check their Facebook site with so far more than 3’500 likes. Lots of pictures and the faroese language to discover.
Healthcare is everywhere. This unique hospital and place some 700 kilometers north of Scotland. I felt a surprising urge to check timetables of Atlantic Airways. Must be the same longing of the settlers once to look for uncharted land.
Once again, I am simply impressed. By these islanders, by these healthcare professionals by a hospital in a remote place. Being a key to the future.
My compliments to all of you at Landssjúkrahúsið, the National Hospital.
Maurice Codourey
The WOW hospitals blog 