Northeast Health Wangaratta has been allocated $1.9 million in Victorian Government funding to purchase a new MRI machine and Fluoroscopy Unit to improve diagnostics and patient outcomes.
The funds have been awarded as part of the Medical Equipment Replacement Program (High Value), with Northeast Health Wangaratta one of 19 health services to share in $35 million towards new equipment.
Northeast Health Wangaratta’s chief executive officer, Libby Fifis welcomed the funding to replace the existing MRI machine and Fluoroscopy Unit, saying it would enhance diagnostic services for patients in the region.
“Having the most up-to-date equipment and technology is vital to us providing safe and high-quality care for our patients,” Ms Fifis said.
“The new MRI and fluoroscopy units will allow our physicians to see more detail, more quickly, than previously and at the same time provide a more comfortable experience for patients.”
Fluoroscopy units perform multidirectional imaging, allowing an area of the body to be filmed and studied in motion as opposed to the snapshot image of an x-ray.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans are well-known for use in soft-tissue examinations and can assist with diagnosing a range of conditions and diseases.
Northeast Health Wangaratta’s imaging service has scanned more than 5400 patients in MRI over the past two years, providing diagnostic support for both inpatients and outpatients.
Delivery, installation and commissioning of the MRI and fluoroscopy unit is still to be confirmed, however Northeast Health Wangaratta hopes this to be progressed by the middle of the year.