RENFREW COUNTY (Renfrew) — The x-ray unit in Renfrew Victoria Hospital’s medical imaging department contains some of the busiest equipment in the hospital. Each year the main x-ray suite provides close to 17,000 x-rays. However, the main x-ray machine is at the end of its life at 11 years old, and the hospital is preparing to replace it.
“A new radiography suite will keep Renfrew Victoria Hospital current, allowing us to maintain leading-edge technology. It means we don’t have to worry about substandard performance or images,” states Dr. Frank Lee, lead radiologist from The Ottawa Hospital, where RVH exams are read.
The selected new x-ray machine will provide improved diagnostic quality and slightly reduce the radiation dose for patients. “The equipment is so improved over the years and there are new software packages,” says Lisa Wherry, RVH Medical Imaging Manager.
Another advantage is increased robotics for greater flexibility to get the perfect images that are needed. “It will allow us to move the equipment in ways that we never could and is really great ergonomically for staff, allowing them to use pre sets to position the equipment with the push of a button. It will also allow for imaging to be performed on the stretcher/bed in cases where we could not before and reduce the number of patients who need to be transferred,” shares Wherry.
The project will include renovations to the x-ray room that are required to address challenges with the current physical layout and to meet the latest Ministry of Health regulations.
“The current room has a very tight control room within the footprint of the room, the position of the generator makes certain exams difficult and it is hard to turn stretchers to accommodate imaging,” explains Wherry. However, equipment costs are not covered by the Ontario government and have to be funded entirely through donations from the community.
That is where the RVH Foundation comes into play with funds growing each week of its popular Catch the Ace lottery contest. It’s been a win-win fundraiser with a member of the community winning $3,000 to more than $8,500 in each of the first 21 weeks as the ace of spades remains hidden. The progressive jackpot reached more than $154,000 as of week 21 (September 5) for the lucky draw winner who uncovers the ace.
“Winners from our community have shared how timely the prize money has been to mend a roof, fix an air conditioner or pay for a vacation, and funds have reached over $255,000 for the x-ray project going into week 22,” shares Patricia Dillabough, RVH Foundation Executive Director. “We’re thrilled with the support from the community and really excited to be able to help RVH upgrade its x-ray equipment which, in turn, will benefit our entire community.”
