Home > All News > Jan 2009 - Delta Presents $500,000 to CT Scanner

Jan 2009 - Delta Presents $500,000 to CT Scanner

Pictured from left are: Coun. Scott Hamilton; Martha Cloutier, director of acute care programs; Mayor Lois Jackson; Coun. Heather King; Coun. Anne Peterson; and Dr. Giri Rao, chief of medical imaging.
 

Delta Optimist January 21, 2009 -

Next on the Fraser Health Authority's agenda when it comes to Delta Hospital will be figuring out what its role should be in the future. That was one of the messages conveyed at a gathering last Friday at the hospital to recognize the Corporation of Delta's financial contribution toward the purchase of a CT scanner.

The event was attended by hospital personnel, members of Delta council, the Delta Hospital Foundation and Delta Hospital Auxiliary, Delta CAO George Harvie and other civic staff, fire chief Dan Copeland and police chief Jim Cessford.

Noting the hospital has its acute care status returned, in addition to extra staff and new equipment, including a CT scanner on its way, hospital executive director Loretta Solomon told the audience the health region will determine where the facility will go from here.

"The next thing, for sure, we will be looking at over time in terms of Fraser Health is what kind of a role should Delta Hospital play in the bigger picture. We know exactly the kinds of role it play in terms of Delta, but we do want to see whether or not there is a unique role Delta (hospital) could perhaps play," said Solomon.

"We've been thinking about that and certainly the physicians and other health care professionals and the leadership team in Fraser Health have been giving some thought to that one.

"We don't know what that could be. It could be it's very enhanced outpatient services. It could be that it's surgical daycare. I don't know because we're not quite there but we will be finding that role."

Solomon said the CT scanner has been on the community's wish list for years and will help the facility gain a more prominent role in health care.

"CT (scanner) is just one piece in a number of pieces that have happened recently ... the important thing is that Delta is on a path and that's what we all want to see happen," she said.

Foundation chair Stephen Millen said his group has managed to raise close to $1.4 million of the $1.7 million funding commitment made for the state-of-the-art, 64-slice scanner. He thanked Delta council for providing $500,000 toward that goal. Voters in last November's municipal election overwhelmingly supported the expenditure.

"It's just one more example of the way this community embraces this hospital and the tremendous support from this mayor and council and all citizens of Delta," he said.

Millen noted Delta Hospital is the only hospital in Fraser Health that has a 24/7 emergency room but not a necessary CT scanner to accompany it.

Prior to a cheque presentation and the unveiling of a plaque recognizing the municipal contribution, Mayor Lois Jackson described Delta Hospital as "the little hospital that could" because it has strong community support.

"It goes without saying that the people in this community continue to understand what's needed for all of us. It's quite a commitment really because it's $5 per person in Delta and people were very willing to do that," said Jackson.

"I spent quite a bit of time in hospitals in the last two years with my daughter, and without a cat scan a lot of information is not uncovered."

A temporary facility is currently under construction at the hospital to accommodate the CT scanner. Bad weather in the past few weeks delayed the project. It's expected the scanner will be operational for emergency patients by mid-March and for outpatients a couple of weeks later.

Anyone wanting to donate to the scanner can call 604-940-9695 or visit www.deltahospital.com.

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