Big Upgrade for Vernon Jubilee Hospital’s Imaging Department
With the completion of the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation’s ‘Take a Picture’ campaign, the VJH Imaging Department is now fully digital, five years earlier than anticipated.The new machine was purchased thanks to more than $500,000 in generous donations from local individuals, and organizations made to VJH Foundation’s Take a Picture campaign. Funding was also provided by the regional hospital district.
“It’s astounding the level of generosity the people in this area have,” said Sue Beaudry, Director of Development, VJH Foundation. “Without their donations, the purchase of this machine would have never been possible.”
The digital unit replaces an older analogue mammography system which annually performed nearly 7,000 screenings and 3,500 diagnostic examinations on residents in the North Okanagan, Revelstoke, Shuswap, Lake Country and Nakusp. The new state-of-the-art system enables sending real-time electronic images to any electronic address. It also reduces the amount of radiation patients are subject to while enhancing the ability to detect micro lesions thanks to higher quality resolution.
“The technological improvement of this digital machine over the previous analogue machine allows us to complete much more testing here without the need to send patients away,” said VJH radiologist Dr. Glenn Scheske. “It also results in quicker turnaround times allowing us to see more patients… it’s really remarkable.”
Some of the top contributors for the purchase of the unit were the Wine, Women and Woods Golf Tournament, who surpassed their initial fundraising goal of $100,000, Coldstream Women’s Institute, VantageOne Bollywood Bang event, and Vernon Rowing and Padding Association’s Annual Prospera Vernon Dragon Boat Festival.VJH Foundation held a special donor recognition event to mark the official opening of the new device on April 24, 2015.