Pagosa Springs will soon be the only hospital in Southern Colorado to have an advanced 128-slice CT machine. Starting in late August, patients who need a CT scan for internal injuries, cardiac scans, brain profusions or other types of trauma will be able to be scanned right here in Archuleta County.
Currently, the Pagosa Springs Medical Center has a 4-slice CT machine that they purchased when opening in January 2008. At a recent board meeting, the Upper San Juan Health District approved the replacement of the hospital’s CT machine. When researching options and talking with vendors, staff realized they could acquire a state-of-the-art, 128-slice machine at a comparable price to a 64-slice machine.
Over the past three years, the development of faster and better CT equipment has made the 4-slice CT nearly obsolete. Many Archuleta County citizens have been directed to drive to Mercy in Durango for a higher quality scan on their 64-slice CT. Due to vendors being motivated to open up the 128-slice equipment market, General Electric Medical Systems has allowed Pagosa Springs Medical Center to purchase the latest technology at a competitive cost to a 64-slice machine.
“We are fortunate to be able to provide the latest technology to our community at a reasonable cost, help patients get the best diagnostic screens close to home, and allow an equipment vendor to showcase their latest technology,” expressed Brad Cochennet, CEO of Pagosa Springs Medical Center.
The GE GoldSeal Certified Lightspeed technology provides greater detail with much faster processing speed. Pagosa Springs Medical Center will now be able to perform coronary artery scans or brain profusions. In addition, the high-end machine gives patients a less expensive and less invasive option to evaluate cardiac issues.
“If a patient presents chest pains and EKG irregularities, most other hospitals need to perform a heart catheter procedure to determine diagnosis. However, the 128-slice CT allows doctors to scan the heart without a heart catheter. This saves the patient money, time and radiation exposure,” said Chris Savoy, Director of Ancillary Services at Pagosa Springs Medical Center.
In the 128-slice machine, patients are scanned in only 3 seconds. The films are then sent to Denver to be read by a radiologist within 5 minutes, and read within 15 minutes. With the hospital’s current CT machine, this process takes more than an hour.
The 128-slice machine will also help with early detection by offering a quality screening tool. The advanced CT machine is scheduled for delivery in early August and will perform their first scan in late August.
Brad concluded, “Our new CT machine is just another step in our mission to become a sustainable integrated health care resource system though service, leadership and community partnership. We take great pride in our part of health service district, and strive to help people with their health needs. “
