Ribbon Cutting Held for MRI Unit at PMC

George Pendleton has the Long-Awaited Honors

“After several years of planning, we’re celebrating the official grand opening of Prowers Medical Center’s MRI unit with our ribbon cutting,” said PMC, Chief Executive Officer, Karen Bryant during the ceremony Wednesday morning, July 27^th at the hospital.

“This new suite will provide a more comfortable experience for our patients, faster testing times and it will offer our staff a greater degree of safety and security, she added as George Pendleton cut the ribbon outside the new MRI suite.  Pendleton, Bryant explained, had won the opportunity to be the official ribbon cutting individual during the PMC Foundation’s fund-raising gala back in 2019.

MRI Transport into Hospital

The $3.6 million MRI unit, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, replaces the old one that had been in operation for 15 years from a narrow trailer adjacent to the PMC facility.  Patients had to endure all types of weather as they entered and exited the trailer for their MRI exam.  Bryant explained, “This addition puts us in direct comparison to some of the larger facilities, if not even better than those on the Front Range.  This is another example of the PMC board and staff working to be able to provide greater medical facilities close to home, eliminating the need for lengthy travel for treatment.”

Amber Rider, MRI Project Manager and Larry Booker, Imaging Editor, told the gathering the new unit is not a luxury but another example of necessary services provided by PMC.  Booker said the size of the new unit will provide a more comfortable experience for patients, “Like going from a Ford Pinto to an Explorer.”  Booker explained over a year ago, while the newly transported unit was being lifted by a crane into the unfinished suite, that treatment times will be speedier, “It used to take 45 minutes to scan a knee, the unit will be finished with the same procedure in 18 minutes and the results will be tremendously enhanced for clarity.”

Larry Booker, Imaging Editor

Charlene Fatland and Tammi Whisennand, MRI technical staff, said about 300 patients have accessed the new unit since the start of the year.  Patients receive a thorough scanning for any metal objects they may have before they enter the MRI suite as a safety precaution, to both them and the MRI unit which is recalibrated weekly for its huge magnet and for various pieces of equipment which are used for specific parts of the body being studied.  The unit weighs 10,000 pounds.

Metal Detector by Tammi Whisennand

Fatland said each patient is made as comfortable as possible with their choice of relaxing music and portions of their body are arranged to minimize any movement.  “It’s not like an x-ray picture.  The MRI takes a series of pictures over a period of time to provide a textbook image for your doctor, so any movement has to be at a minimum.”

The event was attended by past and present members of the PMC board, Prowers County Commissioners, Lamar City Council and hospital staff members and providers.

By Russ Baldwin