“We have just received a letter from Mr. Tony Clement, Minister of Health and Long Term Care, authorizing our Hospital to purchase, install, and operate a Computerized Tomography Scanner, better known as a CT Scan” she says, adding that no additional funding is associated with this announcement.
Last December, the Board of Directors had approved the development of a CT program at the HDGH. Well aware that the responsibility of funding the capital and operating costs of such a project were the sole responsibility of the hospital and its community, the Board had also directed the Leadership Team to start including funds in the 2003-2004 capital and operating budgets to support the one-time and ongoing costs of this project. The purchase and installation costs of the CT Scan are estimated at $1.3M. It stands to reason that the hospital Foundation’s contribution will be of major importance in carrying out this project.
Computerized Tomography scanning is now internationally recognized as a basic diagnostic tool to definitely diagnose hundreds of conditions and the best first test in many cases. The implementation of this service at the HDGH will immediately benefit more than 2,000 area residents annually by:
· Decreasing waiting times;
· Decreasing inpatient transfers to other hospitals (by ambulance);
· Decreasing patient travel to other facilities and the associated costs in time, effort and money;
· Ensuring more timely access to a definitive diagnosis;
· Decreasing the elapsed time between diagnosis and treatment.
The implementation of this service will also directly benefit the hospital and the healthcare system through:
· Better utilization of scarce nursing and medical staff who will no longer have to accompany patient transfers;
· More efficient utilization of hospital beds;
· Increased attractiveness of the hospital for physicians and other healthcare professionals;
· Reduced pressure on the ambulance system;
· Reduced pressure on the Ottawa hospitals.
The Leadership Team, in close collaboration with the radiologists and the Diagnostic Imaging staff will quickly develop an implementation plan and timetable and initiate key activities. When available, the projected implementation timeline will be communicated.
“This is a major milestone for our hospital, our patients and our community” adds Mrs Lacelle Lacroix, and I want to take this opportunity to thank all the members of the hospital staff who have worked so hard to prepare, present and promote our CT Scan proposal. I also want to thank the staff of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care for their openness and ongoing support.”
