Tasmanian firm AJR Constructions has been awarded the $2 million contract to build the Mersey Community Hospital helipad.
Construction will begin within weeks and the helipad is expected to begin operation in mid-2019.
The new service will allow seriously ill or injured patients to be transferred quickly from hospital, medical centres and places of illness or injury to the best hospital for their needs.
Helicopters are one of the fastest ways to move patients between facilities, so this landing site is critical healthcare infrastructure.
The helipad will feature special deck lighting that supports night-vision technology so helicopters can land safely any time of the day or night.
Its design will also cater for larger rescue helicopters in future.
At the moment, aeromedical teams arriving at the Mersey Community Hospital to retrieve patients have to land on a roundabout on the Bass Highway, which can cause significant traffic disruption and is far from ideal.
The helipad at the North West Regional Hospital has been used more than 15 times since being commissioned.
During construction, access to the hospital’s main entrance and emergency department will remain unchanged.
The Mersey Community Hospital helipad is part of the Hodgman Liberal Government’s $24 million investment to improve patient transport and accommodation across Tasmania.