Cambodia’s Central Hospital pivots to tech adoption for enhanced heart care

One of its key technologies is an ECMO machine for prolonged life support in critical care conditions.

Specialising in cardiology, Cambodia’s Central Hospital has adopted new technologies to offer a full spectrum of heart care services from diagnostics to rehabilitation.

Speaking to Healthcare Asia, Hospital Director Sim Sovannara touted the facility’s various technologies and additions — all aimed at reducing the need for invasive surgeries.

"We offer dilatation for stent placements and the occlusion of atrial septal defects (ASD) and ventricular septal defects (VSD), thereby eliminating the need for open-heart surgery,"  Sovannara said. 

For patients whose hearts and lungs are unable to function adequately, the hospital is equipped with an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine. This device provides prolonged cardiac and respiratory support.

An ECMO is particularly used in critical care situations by pumping blood from a patient into a machine that adds oxygen and removes carbon dioxide before returning it to the body. 

Through this, the machine can support patients for days to weeks, allowing time for the heart and lungs to recover, or as a bridge to more permanent treatments, such as a heart transplant.

Retaining excellence in accurate diagnosis is the bread and butter of the Central Hospital and it maintains that through advanced imaging technologies.

“We are equipped with a 128-slice CT scanner that provides us with more precise cardio and vascular images,” Sovannara added.

Focus on critical emergency care

In connection with its specialisation in cardiology, Central Hospital also maintains critical emergency care through the integration of advanced life support systems.

“We have a fully equipped life support system and an ICU monitoring system that connects all patient monitors to a central system at the nurse station,” Sovannara told Healthcare Asia.

She explained that this setup allows nurses and doctors to monitor patient changes on a real-time basis, proving crucial for early detection of potential complications to provide prompt medical interventions.

In line with this, Sovannara pledged that the hospital’s commitment to quality critical care is reflected in their specialised ICU teams.

“Our team is composed of highly trained specialists with additional expertise in medical fields such as cardiology, pulmonology, and more,” she said.

This multidisciplinary approach allows the benefit of a broad spectrum of medical knowledge and skills to significantly improve patient outcomes.

At present, the hospital houses various medical services including general medicine, gynaecology, obstetric neonatology, pediatric neurology, ENT, ophthalmology, nephrology, and more.

Expansions and renovations

Delving on future plans, Sovannara announced that the hospital is already in the process of a significant expansion, following the completion of its 20-floor building and the recent launch of its prosthetics and orthotics clinic.

She noted that the hospital’s existing facilities are poised for renovation to update the overall infrastructure to better accommodate the growing demand for healthcare.

This redevelopment project is set to increase capacity to 150 beds and 10 ICU rooms designed as single private rooms with state-of-the-art operation theatres with systems that feature negative pressure capabilities and other sophisticated technologies.

Healthcare for all Cambodians

When asked about the hospital’s vision of serving as a premier healthcare destination in Cambodia, Sovannara shared that they focus on quality and innovation whilst maintaining affordable services.

“We implement cost-effective practices and leverage economies of scale to keep our healthcare services accessible and affordable,” she said.

One key practice is engaging with the local community through various health education programmes, screenings, and outreach activities, as well as collaborations with the government, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), and other healthcare providers to expand access to specialised treatments and resources.

“We aim to make complex and innovative healthcare treatments available to all Cambodians, regardless of their financial status,” Sovanara added.