November 16, 2015
Courtney Morgan demonstrates what it’s like to be a patient needing the services of the new mobile X-ray unit at the Three Hills Health Centre, as Donna McCook, Laboratory and Diagnostic Imaging Supervisor, and Dr. Adina McBain, look on.
Story by Kerri Robins; Photo by Heather Kipling
‘Moving pictures’ have arrived at the Three Hills Health Centre, and staff are happy to put their patients in the spotlight.
The health centre received a new Shimadzu MobileArt Evolution X-ray unit this summer, and Donna McCook, Laboratory and Diagnostic Imaging Supervisor, says the unit is helping staff provide a new level of care for their most compromised patients.
“This is our first mobile X-ray unit,” says McCook. “Before, all patients had to come to the diagnostic imaging department for their X-rays. But if we get a patient where moving them can be harmful, the mobile unit is perfect because this can assist with keeping the patient stable.
“For example, if we get a patient with breathing problems, cardiac arrest, or a long-term patient who’s bedridden, bringing the mobile X-ray unit to their bedside really saves time and contributes greatly to patient care.”
Dr. Adina McBain, Facility Medical Director at the Three Hills Health Centre, agrees with McCook, saying that the comfort of patients is always a key factor, and the fewer times they have to be transported, the better.
“There are times when it is not safe to send a patient to the diagnostic imaging department, so the portable machine allows us to capture X-rays at important stages of assessment, and this can potentially reduce the time to diagnosis or treatment,” says McBain.“Being able to bring the portable X-ray machine to patients also allows physicians to continue monitoring patients while the images are being collected.”
The mobile X-ray unit can take high-quality images and save them to a cassette tape. The physician can view the taped images in the X-ray room while the patient stays put.
The unit is compact and can be easily positioned in restrictive spaces. It comes with a shock-resistant body design and strengthened body cover, and uses a soft-touch bumper that automatically stops the unit when pressure is detected. It’s motorized, and the drive handle can be set at 4 cm, 6 cm, or 9 cm above the standard height, suited for taller users.
The mobile X-ray unit also has a built-in alarm that can be used to alert others that the unit is in the area in the case of crowded medical facilities. And finally, the keyless password entry on the system allows for easy access to the system for multiple users.
The health centre X-rays more than 250 patients monthly, totaling approximately 350 X-ray exams, as some patients receive more than one X-ray.
The mobile unit is available for use throughout the health centre, including use in long-term care acute care and trauma, and site manager Ruth Wold says it enhances services.
“The unit is state-of-the-art for our facility and really helps us provide better care for our most compromised patients,” says Wold.
At a cost of just over $50,000 (including training), the unit was funded entirely by donations raised by the Three Hills Health Initiative Fundraising Committee through the David Thompson Health Trust.
“We raised a lot of the funds from our gala dinner in November 2014, as well as various fundraising events throughout the year,” says committee Chair Al Campbell. “We have a really supportive community that goes above and beyond for our health care, and I’m really proud to be part of such a caring group of people.”
For more information visit albertahealthservices.ca/give.
