Hospital gets grant for MRI upgrades

Whitman Hospital & Medical Center has been awarded United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development grant funding in the amount of $500,000 under the 2014 Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program administered by the Rural Utilities Service.

Whitman Hospital requested grant funding to support the acquisition of digital Tomosynthesis which will provide for 3-D Breast Imaging, as well as a permanent MRI unit. Both modalities are an essential part of Whitman Hospital’s telemedicine program.

“The use of telemedicine in our rural region is critical to the ability to provide quality health care to the communities we serve,” said hospital CEO Hank Hanigan.

Whitman Hospital will also commit funding to the project. Design work is underway at this time with plans to proceed in the first part of 2015.

The hospital currently provides digital mammography x-rays, however the capabilities of Tomosynthesis far exceeds current digital mammography units.

In addition, the advancement with Tomosynthesis addresses the three challenges in screening for breast cancer: discomfort, overlapping tissue due to breast compression and one dimensional images.

The benefit of a permanent indoor MRI unit will allow services to be provided in a climate controlled environment which will improve patient wait time and the overall patient experience.