Despite a petition calling for a higher end CT Scanner for Kincardine hospital, the South Bruce Grey Health Centre board met this week to confirm a decision to purchase the Siemens Edge Plus CT scanner.
Over 1,500 people have signed a petition over the last week urging the South Bruce Grey health Centre to purchase the more expensive Drive model .
The board stresses the internal components of the Edge Plus are identical to the Drive – both use the same detectors and tubes, same dose, same software platform, same slice thickness, producing identical image quality. However the drive has two tubes and can provide faster images in a few circumstances.
The board says the lower cost of ownership and operation of the Plus model will free up resources to support other programs and services at the Kincardine hospital, such as the upcoming hospital redevelopment project and other expensive diagnostic equipment that will require replacement in the coming years (mammography, x-ray).
A media release also stated the Edge Plus is the newest Siemens CT technology available (Health Canada approved in 2020). This technology is currently in use in 53 sites in the United States. The board says it also based the decision on the feedback and advice from SBGHC’s Chief Radiologist, who reads the images produced by the scanner and provides reports to physicians, supports this decision.
The board says it also based the decision was based on the feedback and advice of Cardiologist Dr. Gerard Shoemaker who together with his colleagues, has seen over 2,000 patients in Kincardine over the last 4 years.
“We appreciate and respect the passion and investment of our community in ensuring that an appropriate model of CT scanner is selected that will meet the needs of the community now and into the future, and I can assure you that our Board and Leadership Team shares this goal,” says John Gilbert, SBGHC Board Chair. “This is excellent news for the Kincardine community. Later this year we will be breaking ground on an addition to the hospital to house the new scanner. Patients will no longer have to travel out of the community for CT scans. And this is just the beginning; the plans for the larger redevelopment project are well underway.”
