Just two weeks after celebrating the start of operations of a second Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine at the Owen Sound Hospital, Brightshores Health System is excited to further expand its services.
On Wednesday evening, November 22nd, the new CT scanning department was officially opened in the newly renovated 10,000-square-foot area that was completed at the Southampton Hospital in 2019, with not one but two ribbon-cuttings.
“A new CT scanner in Southampton will greatly increase local access for patients, reduce costs associated with ambulance transfers to our Owen Sound Hospital, and give patients faster access to their test results,” said Ann Ford, President and CEO of Brightshores, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Up until now, the corporation’s only CT scanner was located at the Owen Sound Hospital and 20% of approximately 16,185 annual CT scans were provided to patients from Saugeen Shores and surrounding communities. CT scans are further becoming a diagnostic tool of choice for many physicians due to the technology’s capability to capture clear and detailed images.
“Our Foundation Board and staff are grateful for the tremendous support the community
has given to this important project to support the hospital. The generosity we witnessed throughout this CT campaign was phenomenal and truly heartwarming”, said Martha Bennett, Chair of the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation Board. “In what was expected to take three years to raise the goal of $3million, took only months thanks to the ‘Bring TOM to Town’ fundraising campaign!”
“It was a lot of money to raise,” said James Scongack, Chief Development Officer and Executive Vice President, Operational Services at Bruce Power and Chair of the fundraising campaign, said it was the easiest campaign he had ever taken part in. “I thought it could have taken three or four years to raise the goal of $3million and when it came together in a matter of months, I was blown away. When you think about it, over the 10 months it amounted to $10,000 a day and this is not a huge community. It came down to people contributing what they could, people volunteering and people spreading the word. This is about making sure that our front-line professionals have the equipment they need to do their job for our families and neighbours.”
Saugeen Shores Mayor Luke Charbonneau noted that the Town was also a proud donor to
the campaign. “I’m here on behalf of the community to welcome ‘TOM’ to town. The Hospital Foundation is indispensable to the community and we look forward to everything that it does. One of the best things about this community are the people who are the most generous and willing to step up for important causes. We also thank the hospital staff who give outstanding care everyday.”
The new CT scanner was built by Siemens in Germany and is a state-of-the-art machine that provides high-resolution images at a lower dosage of radiation. A 3D camera also helps to position the patient correctly within the scanner and a special coloured light system helps with breathing instructions for those who may be hearing impaired. The hydraulic lift system can accommodate up to 600 lbs. compared to the former 300 lb. capacity. The new rechargeable automatic IV system also saves product cost and time and prevents any air bubbles while injecting fluids and is new in Canada.
Although the scanner will be in operation from Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. while staff undergo training on the new equipment, it is anticipated that it will be able to meet emergency requirements in the near future.
The CT scanner at the Owen Sound Hospital operates five days per week, ten hours per day, for scheduled visits; and is available 24/7 for urgent cases. The addition of the CT scanner in Saugeen Shores means that Brightshores can better manage the volume of CT patients across the system and provide continuity of service.
