Penticton Regional Hospital has opened the first of its kind in Canada CT Scan machine that boasts increased speed and accuracy.
On Wednesday, the SOS Medical Foundation announced the CT Scanner, which sets a new standard for medical patient care in the South Okanagan and also gives the hospital a second machine.
Thanks to the generosity of long-time supporter Peters Bros. who donated $1.7 million, combined with the support of the community, this $3 million state-of-the-art machine is now operational at Penticton hospital.
The machine has been operational for just over six weeks at PRH and can help an average of 60 patients a day who come from the six Okanagan Similkameen communities the PRH serves.
The new scanner boasts increased speed and lower patient doses. It also uses AI-driven precision.
Here are the TOP 10 features of the new machine:
1. Unprecedented first: This Siemens marvel stands tall as the first of its kind in all of Canada.
2. Enhanced patient experience: Patients benefit from dual areas catering to Inpatients/Emergency and outpatients, ensuring a more focused and expedited diagnostic process.
3. Reliable service: With two scanners in operation, PRH is resilient to downtimes during preventative maintenance or unexpected breakdowns.
4. Swift and low-dose scans: The new scanner boasts increased speed and lower patient doses, enabling more examinations.
5. AI-driven precision: Leveraging artificial intelligence, the scanner ensures precision in diagnoses.
6. Enhanced accessibility: The larger gantry hole and lower table cater to patients with limited mobility, prioritizing accessibility and comfort
7. Exponential demand: The new machine will meet the escalating demand for CT scans, which has surged from 17,892 scans in 2019/2020 to 21,711 scans last year
8. Impressive daily record: The current record for CT scans in a day is 78 with the average being 60 patients in a day.
9. Regional healthcare hub: PRH not only serves the South Okanagan Similkameen but also serves patients from neighboring areas.
10. Resilience during contagious times: During COVID and other epidemics, staff need to scan patients with contagious diseases. In these cases, the staff would have to shut the scanner down to clean it and take time before it could scan the next patient. This will no longer be an issue.
