Site Facilities

Our outpatient facility is divided into a non-infectious and infectious area, with access-control, air-conditioning, separate ventilation systems and an emergency trolley with automated electronic defibrillator. Each section has the following:

  • 4 consultation rooms: utilized for informed consents, participant interviews and examinations, phlebotomy and sample collection
  • 1 vitals screening room
  • 1 sputum booth equipped with HEPA filters, with capacity for sputum induction
  • 1 patient waiting area

This additional area may be used for patient overflow or as an infectious / non-infectious area as needed.

  • 6 nursing consultation rooms: utilized for informed consents, participant interviews, phlebotomy and sample collection
  • 2 vitals screening rooms
  • 1 sputum booth equipped with HEPA filters, with capacity for sputum induction
  • 2 doctor consultation rooms
  • Access to 1 emergency trolley with automated electronic defibrillator
  • 2 participant waiting areas

All participant areas are fitted with air conditioning units and UV light filters for air purification and infection control.

  • Fully equipped theatre for research bronchoscopy with conscious sedation
  • Recovery / preparation room with patient monitors, ultrasound and ECG machines
  • 1 emergency trolley with defibrillator
  • Refrigerator
  • Lockable cabinet for scheduled medication
  • 2 emergency trolleys with defibrillators, checked monthly as per SOP.
  • Our site is adjacent to Tygerberg Academic Hospital with access to the emergency departments and specialist clinics, either by vehicle (5 minutes) or by foot/trolley (5 minutes). Louis Leipoldt MediClinic or Belville Melomed Hospital can be reached by road within 5 minutes.
  • Emergency contact numbers are provided to participants for queries or emergencies.
  • A 24-hour ambulance service is available for participants from their places of residence.
  • 2 large open-plan offices (for at least 30 staff members)
  • Lock-up, document storage areas and space to increase storage capacity
  • All clinical team staff have computers with high-speed internet, tablets for patient consultations, 2 network printer-scanner-copier machines, datafax facilities.
  • Seminar rooms can be booked for undisturbed monitoring purposes when needed and larger rooms can be booked for meetings and training purposes

Our facility has a temperature- and access-controlled dispensary, fitted to store medication at room temperature and refrigerated, with some capacity for expansion. This dispensary is managed by two experienced, licensed dispensing doctors.

We have a collaboration with FAMCRU accredited research pharmacy run by qualified research pharmacists and fully-equipped for all research requirements, including vaccines.

  • Laboratory services: SANAS-accredited local labs process and store a large variety of samples. Collaborations with NHLS laboratory services and BARC SA (DAIDS-accredited lab).
  • Hamilton BiOS L5 (BiOS) Biorepository Unit for sample processing and long term -80deg storage.
  • Radiology: Outsourced to Morton & Partners at Belville Melomed, and Schnetler Corbett and Partners in the West Coast and at Louis Leipoldt Hospital Mediclinic in Belville.
  • Infectious Imaging: collaboration the Numeri Node for Infectious Imaging, with a PET-CT scanner dedicated to infectious research and Cape University Body Image Centre with dedicated research MRI and PET-CT scanners.
  • Lung function testing services: collaboration with highly-qualified and experienced lung function technologists, with many years of experience in clinical practice and research

All equipment is calibrated annually and maintained regularly (certificates available).

  • Refrigerator
  • Room temperature medication storage incubator (monitored 24/7)
  • Freezer: -80°C, -40°C, -20°C (monitored 24/7), including BiOS for long term -80°C storage (see Special Investigations above).
  • Thermometers
  • Centrifuge
  • Refrigerated centrifuge
  • BP machines
  • 12-lead ECG machine
  • Spirometer
  • Ultrasound machine
  • Scale for body weight
  • Stadiometer
  • Pulse oximeters
  • Point-of-care haemoglobinometers
  • Point-of-care glucometers
  • Point-of-care glycated haemoglobin HbA1c
  • Emergency trolley with itemised contents (checked monthly, per SOP), defibrillator and oxygen
  • Nebuliser
  • Generator