A new CT scanner has been commissioned at Oamaru Hospital, part of a $1.8 million radiology department upgrade funded by the Waitaki District Health Services Trust.
The hospital is run by the Waitaki District Council-owned Waitaki District Health Services Ltd and board chairman George Berry said the new scanner meant patients were having conditions diagnosed sooner and treatment started more promptly.
The scanner provided high quality, modern soft-tissue imaging equipment at Oamaru Hospital, an essential tool for diagnosis and treatment in 21st century medicine.
‘‘We have been able to provide it for our community. It is also the most modern scanner of its type in New Zealand at this time,'' he said.
Hospital manager Robert Gonzales said the installation of the Siemens 16 Slice CT Scanner machine was the most exciting achievement since the hospital opened in 2000.
‘‘Staff are over the moon using the equipment, which also includes new X-ray and ultrasound equipment, and with the improved service the hospital is now able to offer,'' he said.
Patients no longer had to travel out of town or sometimes wait as much as a year for scans.
Clinicians found it a good tool for definitive, more timely diagnosis.
‘‘This reduces the anxiety caused by waiting and enables us to provide treatment more quickly.''
The images are sent electronically to Otago Radiology, centred at Dunedin's Marinoto Clinic, where they are read.
Oamaru Hospital normally receives reports back within 24 hours.
Overall, there had been a massive improvement in reporting turnaround time, from up to three weeks to an average of less than a day. This was better for patients and staff. Some reports arrived within an hour.
The scanner was commissioned in the last week of February and scanned 25 patients since that time.
Most importantly, the hospital now had the capacity to help reduce the very long waiting lists existing in the region, Mr Gonzales said.
