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April 26, 2010
POWELL RIVER, B.C. – The CT scanner at Powell River General Hospital officially opened its doors to the community today, marking for the first time in the community’s history that residents won’t have to travel away from their homes to access this much-needed diagnostic procedure.
"Providing timely access to modern diagnostic services will improve treatment outcomes and eliminate the stress and cost of travel for Powell River residents," said Ralph Sultan, MLA West Vancouver-Capilano. The Powell River General Hospital CT scanner, a $2 million project, has resulted not only in a CT scanner, but also has provided renovated space for mammography x-ray and ultrasound. The CT scanner renovation project was the driver behind the largest community fundraising campaign in Powell River’s history. The campaign itself was named for Pat Thomson, a long-time community health care advocate who was an active member of the Powell River General Hospital Board for 37 years. "When we started this campaign close to three years ago, raising the money needed to bring a CT scanner to Powell River seemed like a daunting challenge in these economic times," said Dave Harper, chair of the Powell River Hospital Foundation’s Pat Thomson CAT fundraising campaign. "But our town came together to show what is possible when people are passionate about a cause. And people of Powell River are passionate about health care. Pat Thomson would be proud." Through the Pat Thomson CT Fundraising Campaign, the Powell River Hospital Foundation, with support from the Powell River Healthcare Auxiliary, raised the $2.0 million needed for the renovation, installation and maintenance package required for the CT scanner. Vancouver Coastal Health provided the CT scanner and will provide approximately $200,000 yearly to fund the CT scanner’s net operations. Construction on the CT scanner project began last fall when a design-build contract was awarded to the Scott Construction Group of Vancouver. The project has been delivered on time and on budget. "As of today, the 2,000 patients from Powell River who travel annually to Comox, Sechelt or Vancouver to access CT procedures will no longer have to do so," said Wendy Hansson, Chief Operating Officer, VCH-Coastal. "Having this much-needed imaging tool in the community will result in greater access to high quality health care services for those in the community who need them." Computed tomography (CT), sometimes called CAT scan or CT scan, uses special x-ray equipment to obtain image data from different angles around the body and then uses computer processing of the information to show a cross-section of body tissues and organs. CT imaging allows radiologists to more easily diagnose cancers, cardiovascular disease, infectious disease, trauma and musculoskeletal disorders. The CT scanner will be complemented by a Picture Archiving and Communications System (PACS). PACS is an electronic information management system that captures, stores and distributes digital radiology images, such as CT scans, X-rays and ultrasounds. The technology removes the need to print these images on film for viewing. PACS also allows for the transmission of diagnostic images over a secure network to awaiting physicians throughout Vancouver Coastal Health and beyond. This provides opportunities for consultation and remote diagnosis in a quick and efficient manner. Vancouver Coastal Health is responsible for the delivery of $2.9 billion in community, hospital and residential care services to over one million people in communities from Richmond through Vancouver, the North Shore, Sunshine Coast, Sea to Sky corridor, Powell River, Bella Bella and Bella Coola. Since 2001/02, B.C. has acquired 26 new CT scanners for hospitals in addition to replacements, giving a current total of 57 CT scanners province-wide. Better access results in thousands more MRI and CT exams. More than 453,000 exams were completed in 2008/09, an increase of 90 per cent from 240,000 in 2001/02. Contact Vancouver Coastal Health
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