New CT Scanner Provides Faster and More Accurate Results

The Minister of Health, the Hon. Zane De Silva JP MP, today officially opened the new 128-slice CT scanner at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, and thanked the Hospitals Auxiliary of Bermuda, whose $1.4 million donation made possible the purchase of the most powerful CT scanner in Bermuda.

Minister De Silva comments: “It is wonderful to see Bermuda Hospitals Board bring leading-edge technology to benefit the island’s healthcare service and introduce diagnostic services for which people had to travel overseas before. Thank you HAB for your generous donation. This is a great investment in healthcare as it is here for us today and will transfer to the new facility when it opens.”

The new GE Discovery 128-slice CT scanner provides faster scan times and a reduction in radiation dose of up to 50%. This state-of-the-art technology gives physicians the ability to see more anatomical detail in only a fraction of the time.

Dr Daniel Stovell, Chief of Radiology comments: “I am very pleased to see the new CT equipment officially launched and I would like to thank the HAB for their generous donation. The new scanner improves access to patients from the emergency department and the wards. It also offers virtual colonoscopy, a procedure that displays images of the large intestine on a screen, permitting physicians to assess and diagnosis digestive conditions using a less invasive procedure than surgery. Another feature of the new equipment is its ability to perform coronary computed tomography angiogram (CCTA) to obtain high-resolution, three-dimensional pictures of the moving heart and great vessels. CCTA is used as a non-invasive method for detecting blockages in the coronary arteries. A CCTA can be performed much faster (in less than one minute) than a cardiac catheterization, with potentially less risk and discomfort as well as decreased recovery time.”

Manager of Diagnostic Imaging, Renee Butterfield comments: “On behalf of the Bermuda Hospitals Board and Diagnostic Imaging, it gives me great pleasure to thank the HAB for their generous donation of $1.4m to install the Discovery HD 750 CT scanner. So far, approximately 100 sites in the United States and 300 sites globally have installed this platform and I am proud that we are amongst the few that are using the latest technology. This is a huge benefit not only for Diagnostic Imaging, but to our patients within our community. The new 128-slice CT scanner enhances our diagnostic imaging abilities, provides new paths to clinical treatment and offers patients the best in quality care.”

Chief Operating Officer (KEMH), Scott Pearman adds: “The equipment not only brings the newest technology and an improved ability to make accurate diagnosis, but it ensures the hospital is able to respond to patient needs in the event one machine is down for repairs. The new scanner will be utilised alongside the hospital’s existing 8-slice CT scanner to ensure a high quality and uninterrupted CT service. Due to Bermuda’s remote location, it is imperative the hospital can provide precise information to physicians before incurring the expense of sending patients away.”

Dana Goodfellow, HAB President, says: “The Hospital Auxiliary is delighted to have been able to fund this 128 slice CT Scanner in full. We donated $1,365.309.95 to the BHB to purchase this incredible machine. We have also allocated $190,400 for the purchase of a Radiant Warmer ($30,000), Ventilator ($22,000), 4 Dialysis Systems ($60,000) and Electro-coagulation machine ($78,400). These monies are raised through our three businesses, The Barn, The Pink Café, The Gift Shop and from donations received and annual dues from our members. We have 10 employed staff and 576 members (active, inactive and candy stripers). In 2011 our active members volunteered a total of 38,000 hours.
We are most grateful to all of our employees and volunteers who make all of the above possible.”

Archives