PATIENTS from Mildura and as far away as Swan Hill, Broken Hill and South Australia now have access to a new IVF and fertility treatment centre at the Mildura Health Private Hospital.
Monash IVF has moved to a new location within the hospital and upgraded its clinic and lab as part of the hospital’s recent operating theatre refurbishment.
Monash IVF Mildura clinical director Dr Kimberley Sleeman said regional patients valued having access to local fertility services.
“The patients I see really do appreciate not having to travel to Melbourne, Adelaide or Sydney to access specialist fertility services,” Dr Sleeman said.
“For some, having fertility treatment can be challenging so it can help to reduce the stress when they have access to a local full-service clinic.
“It can mean they don’t have to take extra time off work and having their family and support networks close by can be a source of comfort.
“Now that the borders have reopened and restrictions have eased, we’re also starting to see more patients from other nearby regional and remote areas, such as Swan Hill and Broken Hill, returning to Mildura for treatment.”
Mildura Health Private Hospital chief executive officer Marcus Guthrie said the Mildura Health and Monash IVF partnership was critical for patients in the region and the new IVF and fertility treatment centre had been constructed with clinical best practice front of mind.
Dr Sleeman, who has been with Monash IVF since 2014, sees dozens of patients each year, including couples having trouble conceiving, and increasingly single women and same sex couples who need access to donor sperm to conceive.
“It’s rewarding when you can help a couple or individual realise their dreams of having a baby,” she said.
Monash IVF runs four week-long satellite clinics in Mildura every year, in co-ordination with Mildura Health Private Hospital nurses and a team of nurses and embryologists from Melbourne to assist Dr Sleeman.
