Brockville readies for MRI installation
An air of excitement and anticipation rippled through Brockville General Hospital on Saturday as the two new MRI pods, which will house the hospital’s MRI suite and house the hospital’s new multimillion-dollar MRI machine, were hoisted into place by a massive crane.
The operation required the closure of parking from Charles Street, but people visiting the hospital on Saturday were greeted with no-charge open gates off Bartholomew.
The units were transported from Wisconsin, over a course of about 10 days and 1,700 kilometres.
They arrived safely Friday night, said Michael Jiggins, BGH’S manager of marketing and communications.
From the moment of their placement, workers went into action, beginning the process of connecting services like the plumbing and the electrical equipment.
Once that is completed, the next milestone, later in April, will be the arrival and installation of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner itself, said Jiggins.
The hospital anticipates no delays in the MRI installation.
Everything will be operational by late spring, said Jiggins.
This means that Brockville and area residents will have to make fewer trips down Highway 401 to Kingston for important diagnostic care.
“The coming of the MRI helps modernize the hospital and allows residents to stay in their community to receive the care they need, allowing patients to get their diagnostic information quicker,” said Trish Buote, executive director of the Brockville and District Hospital Foundation.
The project has had a remarkable trajectory.
“The fundraising campaign was launched in January 2022,” said Buote. “We expected it would be a three-year campaign to raise the $12 million needed for the project, but it ended up coming together in only two years.”
The Carolyn Sifton Foundation gave the first million-dollar donation, which was followed by three more million-dollar contributions.
“Four million is significant, but it was still a long way from 12. It was the community that really came together to make this happen,” said Buote.
EXCITING PROJECT
Reflecting, she added: “It takes a village.”
Cameron Mclennan, BGH vice-president of people and support services, further explained: “It’s an exciting project that’s been talked about in the community for many years and today is a big day with the arrival of the two pods that will house our MRI machine being lifted and put into place,” he said.
“It’s significant for the hospital as well as our community because it means bringing care closer to home so individuals coming into the hospital will have better diagnostic testing,” he added.
“It gives our physicians and health care workers an opportunity to ensure that we’re giving the best care possible close to home. It’s critical that we provide the best possible service to our community,” said Mclennan.