www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, April 10, 2014 | 12 New CT scanner now housed next to Emergency continued from p.6 imaging now includes a new CT scanner -- the hospital's first -- which is already installed and operational adjacent to the ED, allowing easy access for emergency staff and physicians. The CT scanner was used on patients for the first time in December 2013. It has made a dramatic difference for patients, who previously had to travel to the Oakville or Milton hospitals if they required a CT scan. "For the first time we're not having to put our sickest patients in the back of an ambulance to have a CT scan," said Andrechek, adding staff can also stay on-site as opposed to accompanying patients in ambulance. "It's much better for patient care," said Dr. Don Trant, Georgetown Hospital chief of staff. "You can get a definitive diagnosis so much faster with a CT." The CT scanner's purchase was made possible through a $1 million donation from Georgetown resident Fred Helson to the Investing in Care Close to Home fundraising campaign. In recognition of that contribution, the CT scanner is housed in the Marg and Fred Helson CT Scanner Suite. "The CT at Georgetown Hospital is one of the best there is. It is advanced medicine. The scanning technology is fast enough to image the beating heart with clarity. It can image the whole body in seconds and reproduce these images in three dimensions. There are multiple features that improve patient comfort and safety. Most importantly the CT does all this while reducing radiation dose," said Dr. Robert Yu, HHS chief of diagnostic imaging. It was actually the CT scanner that precipitated the hospital's redevelopment project. In 2009, when the hospital received the licence to have a CT scanner, hospital staff looked at existing space to see where it could be housed, recalled K.C. Carruthers, executive director of the Georgetown Hospital Foundation. When an architect suggested it would cost about the same or less to put the scanner and diagnostic imaging into the current emergency space, and move the cramped ED into a bigger addition, the hospital decided that was the best option. "It addressed the need of the CT scanner and the horribly-undersized ED," said Carruthers. The hospital renovation and expansion was an Own Funds project. "We got incredible support from the Town (of Halton Hills), the citizens, and the Georgetown Hospital Foundation," said McDonell. Trant estimated if the hospital had to wait for the Ministry of Health and LongTerm Care to provide the bulk of the funding, it could have been another 10 years before construction began. The funding breakdown for the project includes: · $6.5 million from the Investing in Care Close to Home Campaign for Georgetown Hospital · $2.7 million from the Town of Halton Hills · $2.7 million from Halton Healthcare Services (mostly from parking revenue) The new CT scanner at Georgetown Hospital, above, is adjacent to the recently renovated and expanded Emergency department, below, that offers a much more spacious and efficient visit for patients at the north Halton hospital, which is administered under the umbrella of Halton Healthcare Services (HHS). | photos courtesy Metroland South Media Group The CT at Georgetown Hospital is one of the best there is. It is advanced medicine. The scanning technology is fast enough to image the beating heart with clarity. It can image the whole body in seconds and reproduce these images in three dimensions. There are multiple features that improve patient comfort and safety. Most importantly, the CT does all this while reducing radiation dose. Dr. Robert Yu chief of diagnostic imaging, HHS · $2.6 million from Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care · $250,000 from Georgetown Hospital Volunteers Association Carruthers said the Investing in Care Close to Home Campaign, which launched in June 2011, has reached more than 95 per cent of its $6.5 million goal, with just $300,000 to go. "We're pretty thrilled because it's been the most successful fundraising campaign this town has ever seen," said Carruthers. "People have always been generous, but everyone stepped up and did the most they could for this because of how important it was." He said fundraising occurred even while other major campaigns (for arenas and the library) were ongoing in the community. The fundraising becomes very difficult near the end of a campaign, he said. "The last $300,000 is the hardest," said Carruthers, but they hope to meet their target by the time the redevelopment project is complete. Carruthers said there are still rooms available in the hospital that could be named in honour of a person who makes a donation of $25,000 or more. Anyone interested in making a donation is asked to call Carruthers at 905-873-4599.