Reorganization Technical Services University Hospital Sibiu
The first stage of this project has been completed. Due to a shortage of financial means the consultant's stay has been cut back to two months instead of three. Currently, the Technical Services have been restructured into a modern, efficient organization.
In the old days the managing director (mr. A. Boros) supervised all 70 employees directly. This meant no one was responsible for his own work. Nowadays the department is split up into three divisions which consists of two or more specialized groups. Each division is lead by a supervisor and each group has its own foreman. This way, responsibility is distributed throughout the department and the managing director no longer has to pay attention to everyday small-time problems. Additionally, a daily meeting between the managing director and the supervisors has been introduced to get a grip of work to be done, problems to solve, finished jobs etc. After some difficulties in the beginning (mainly convincing all employees this is a better way to work), the managing director has succeeded to implement this kind of organizational structure.
A helpdesk has been set up to collect all incoming requests concerning technical issues at a central point. This way an overview of workload and more important, the needs of this hospital, are achieved. Therefore it is much easier to develop a long-term policy. Unfortunately there's been a lack of time to complete the next stage: setting up a system to file all incoming data and requests which can be processed into relevant information for the management.
This project has been a great learning-experience for the Urgenta Foundation and the local people involved. Mutual trust has been established and expanded. More Romanians are convinced this is the future way to work. Due to the old political system they're not used to independency, delegation, responsibility, long-term planning, non-hierarchical structures etc. This change of attitude will probably be the greatest challenge this country has to face.
Arnold's main activities consisted of motivating and convincing people, coordinating the project and lots of talking to people in all ranks throughout the organization.
ICU Oncology University Hospital Sibiu
Very ill patients with no privacy at all lie at the ICU ward of Oncology. Patients with a great need for intensive care which the hospital can't provide due to insufficient facilities. Especially the lack of oxygen and compressed air was a major problem and Urgenta felt an ICU had to be installed in order to provide the patients with proper care. In the fall of 2002 plans were made in cooperation with the medical staff and personnel. Costs were estimated at €37,000 ($46,835). Most equipment was donated free of charge by several Dutch companies and institutions.
The equipment was connected to the existing network of oxygen and compressed air. Outlets were installed at a total of eight beds. The hospital has taken care of the entire interior. Now patients who are at their last stage of life can be treated appropriately.
ICU Children's Hospital Sibiu
The Spitalul Clinica de Pediatrie is a hospital with all pediatric clinical specialties. The children's hospital is situated at several buildings spread across the city. The ICU Pediatrics for instance, is located 2 kilometers from the main building. The ward consists of three rooms in a row, each 20 square meters large and connected by open hallways.
In the fall of 2001 we were asked by the Board to install oxygen and compressed air facilities in two rooms. Naturally we were willing to perform this task. Immediately The Round Table 147 started a fundraising party to provide us with the necessary amount of €30,000 ($37,974). They were able to raise €12,500 and asked Cordaid (formerly known as Bilance Service Fund) to double it to €25,000 ($31,645) which they did.
Equipment and materials were purchased in the Netherlands and imported into Romania without having to pay import duties. This equipment was installed in the hospital. A part of the donation, €8,000 ($10,126) has been transferred to the hospital's bank account. 
We've set up a sponsoring contract which prescribes the purposes this money should be spend on:
- carry out repairs on a Echo Ultra Mark 9 (done by Philips in Bucharest)
- restoration and painting of walls, doors and window/door frames
- installation of new double glazed windows (done during this project by the Technical Services)
All work was completed on April 30th 2003.
Expansion Air Facilities Hemodialysis University Hospital
During Arnold's two months stay (March-April 2003), a crisis-center for incoming emergencies was being set up at the Hemodialysis Department. An appeal was made to Urgenta to connect this
center to the existing oxygen and compressed air facility. We were prepared for this request and 8 outlets were installed by us.
Due to the fact that Haemodialysis takes place 6 days a week, we installed the equipment in one night.
GDGO Foundation: Renovation Dermatology University Hospital Sibiu
During his stay in Sibiu Arnold supervised the renovation work at the dermatology building, on behalf of the GDGO Foundation (a Dutch organization). This building is very poorly maintained and is now being renovated with financial support of the GDGO. 
Arnold's job was to coordinate the work on the first floor and on the sanitary equipment. Up till now, this renovation had hardly even begun, due to a lack of money. Whilst he was there, it showed to be extremely difficult to start a project on Dutch initiatives. He could not succeed during this period.
The bottleneck was a lack of money. The hospital hardly has any capital, and could not even afford to pay salaries. Something you can not imagine in Western European countries. The break-through appeared to be the affirmation by GDGO Foundation to deposit part of the grant in advance. Now the hospital was able to convince the contractor his pay was guaranteed. At the end of Arnold's visit it was affirmed that the first floor would be renovated, starting May 5th.
Help to Romania Foundation: Physiotherapy II building University Hospital Sibiu
Arnold has also worked for Hulp aan Roemenie Foundation (Assen, the Netherlands). This Foundation started renovating the technical part of the installation at the Physio II building of the University Hospital Sibiu. The building has also got a therapeutic bath. Many things still have to be done and may be continued by means of a contract between this foundation and the hospital itself.
Assessment & Advice Hospital Sannicolau Mare
The Urgenta Foundation was contacted by Mr. and Mrs. E.P. Zandbergen from Wouden-berg (Holland) in the summer of 2002. They are very much involved in the fate of the regional hospital in the city of Sannicolau Mare , situated in the province Timasoare, western Romania. Their connection is the hospital's managing director, mrs. Dr. Engenia Minciu. Mr. and Mrs. Zandbergen would like to offer help in any way they can but have no knowledge of hospitals in general. Therefore they have asked the Urgenta Foundation to make an inventory of what the hospital needs, and to offer an advice as well as a list of priorities.
This was carried out by Arnold and Mr. Cosmin Costea, specialist instrumental services University Hospital Sibiu, during the weekend of March 27th.