DARTMOUTH: The Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation officially cut the ribbon to open its new MRI Suite.
The suite is a 1,100 square foot space that houses a new 1.5T MRI unit with orthopedics package.
This will significantly increase capacity, helping to tackle year-long wait times and improve access for MRI patients in the Central Zone.
The opening of the new MRI Suite was launched in the company of Premier Tim Houston, top donors including the J & W Murphy Foundation; first donors, Joseph and Violet Diab; and Mickey MacDonald, who completed the campaign. They were joined by community members and hospital staff.
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DGH’s first-ever MRI is born of a partnership between donors and government – an incredible demonstration of government working with community to advance healthcare.
Donors contributed $2 million for the MRI Unit and the Nova Scotia government is contributing $10.9M for Suite construction and ongoing operating costs. This equates to a 5x match on donor investment by government.
The addition of this MRI in the Central Zone will reduce the need for patients to travel to other zones for their scans, which will make accessing care much easier for people.
It will also mean that Dartmouth General patients will no longer need to be transported to Halifax for urgent scans, which will result in faster care and improved patient comfort.
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Quotes:
“Today is a shining example of how much we can achieve, working together. This partnership will result in improved access to healthcare services and reduced wait times for MRI scans for Nova Scotians.
“I want to thank the Dartmouth General Hospital, its donors, and our partners at Nova Scotia Health for helping us deliver more care, faster, to Nova Scotians.”
-Premier Tim Houston
“Patients whose concerns are not as urgent as others are waiting too long for this important diagnostic testing.
“By working with government, foundation partners and business, we are using every avenue to make this care more accessible and timelier to those who need it.”
— Dr. James Clarke, Head of Diagnostic Imaging, Central Zone, Nova Scotia Health
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“What a tremendous day for Dartmouth General Hospital and for healthcare in Nova Scotia. This is an example of what is possible when donors and government join forces to build capacity and create positive outcomes for the community.
“We are grateful for this commitment to a vision – and already, we are witnessing the positive impact on the lives of our patients here at Dartmouth General.”
-Stephen Harding, President & CEO, DGH Foundation
“It’s indeed an inspiration to see our dream of this unit come to life.
“We are proud to be part of such a meaningful project – and to unite with so many other donors who knew we could bring this MRI Suite to a reality.”
-Joseph Diab on behalf of the Diab Family
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“Dartmouth General Hospital has earned a reputation for building partnerships and working together with others to make a real impact on healthcare.
“We’re happy to see our investment, and that of so many others, come to life here today.”
-Lisa Murphy, J & W Murphy Foundation
Fast facts:
The Unit is equipped with a special orthopedics package to better serve patients at the Fred Smithers Centre for Orthopedic Care, creating 3-D images of hips and knees and providing the ability to see ligaments and tendons clearly
The MRI Suite will operate 7 days/week and serve 20-25 patients a day
The Unit weighs 26,000 lbs and had to be brought into the hospital through the roof
