Left to right: Lori Smith , CEO Tom Neal, and Amber Breedlove
When I first arrived in Highlands in August of 1971, our community hospital was equipped with a Korean War vintage X-ray machine whose films needed chemical processing. We eventually had a mobile CT scanner that came once a week, and then our own scanner installed in the basement of what is now the Peggy Crosby Center. Things improved when the new hospital opened in March of 1993.
With the opening of the new hospital, we had up-to-date portable and stationary X-ray machines. The CT scanner was up to date as well—a real X-ray department! Over time, computed radiology (CR Technology) was installed along with PACS. We then purchased an MRI machine. There was no room in the hospital, so it was installed in the Jane Woodruff Clinic, across the parking lot. This created challenges, with sick patients occasionally moved by ambulance from one building to another. This process tied up EMS. Other challenges included needing a medical doctor onsite for emergencies when injecting contrast for MRI studies.
Now, after two years of planning and a five-million-dollar capital investment, the Highlands-Cashiers Hospital Imaging Department is about to see a major upgrade. The CT suite has been enlarged and features state-of-the-art equipment. The new CT scanner, a 128-slice machine, reduces exam time and offers better image quality. It also contains metal reduction software that creates images with less distortion from metal implants like hip prostheses.
Similarly, the new MRI has much better resolution and offers the opportunity for future upgrades if needed. This wide bore MRI can finish a scan with better quality in less time for most procedures. With the unit now located in the hospital, patients no longer need ambulance transport to another building, allowing staff to care for more patients throughout the day.
To make room for these improvements, the rehab gym was moved to a larger, more open space, where some of the hospital’s administrative offices had previously been housed. In addition, the hospital’s laboratory was enlarged and two rooms for phlebotomy were added.
Tom Neal, Highlands-Cashiers CEO/CNO, and Lori Smith, Regional Manager-Imaging, expect the total project to be finished by the end of September, enhancing our ability to provide the best care to our community for years to come.
For more information on Highlands-Cashiers Hospital and the services we offer, visit missionhealth.org/highlands or call (828) 526-1200.
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