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No bones about it ...
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| Tina Kelley, NCCH Medical Imagery director, explains the process, while Nick Piter, application specialist for G.E. in Phoenix, adjusts the monitor with a digital X-ray photo on it. The bones can be "removed" so that doctors can see tissue underneath clearly. (Ainslee S. Wittig/ARN) |
NCCH gets the state-of-the-art X-ray that can "remove" bones to view tissue
By Ainslee S. Wittig/Arizona Range News
Northern Cochise Community Hospital has just acquired the G.E. Discovery XR650, a state-of-the-art automated, digital X-ray machine, which will take faster and more accurate X-rays with 50 percent less radiation.
The $489,000 addition to the Willcox hospital is he first of its kind in Arizona, and one of only 21 nationwide, said CEO Harley Smith.
"It is so advanced that people are coming to Willcox to receive the best care and to see the equipment in action," Smith said.
He said the machine will pay for itself by an increase, perhaps double, in exams.
Medical Imaging Director Tina Kelley said the hospital will also save money because it will not need to have a second X-ray room and personnel.
"We had two X-ray rooms, and now we need only one, as this machine is so much faster and is guaranteed to work 97 percent of the time," Kelley said. "All machines go down occasionally, but in this case, if there are problems, they can usually be diagnosed and fixed by the company's engineers online. If they need a part, at least they know that before they come to fix it and they can bring it, saving time," she said.
Kelley said the hospital plans to use the other X-ray room for nuclear medicine in the six to eight weeks.
The new digital X-ray has two detectors, one for the table and one upright detector where the patient can stand up for chest X-rays or sit for arms, hands, etc. The detector on the table is removable, so it can be taken out and used when a patient comes in on a backboard, gurney or can't be moved easily from a wheelchair.
"It's so much easier to not have to move a patient who is hurt or older," Kelley said. "Also, the table also moves up and down, so a patient doesn't have to climb up to it."
"The machine enhances the image with tissue equalization, eliminating the lack of penetration so doctors can see things better," said Virgil Rouse, RTR (Registered Technologist of Radiology). "It can remove bones (from the image) so doctors can see the tissue underneath. There's nothing like this - it's a win-win for everyone. It helps us work smarter and faster."
One of the biggest pluses is the machine's ability to "sweep" a body part or area and all the data is stored until the doctor can review the images and make a diagnosis, Kelley said.
"You don't have to do multiple X-rays that can take hours to get done because you are moving the machine every time. There is a significant reduction in time as the sweep takes seconds instead of hours," she said.
Another major advantage of the digital G.E. XR650 is 50- to 60-percent reduced exposure to radiation over computer radiography or film X-rays, Kelley said.
The G.E. Discovery technology has been around since the fall of 2006, said G.E. application specialist Nick Piter, of Phoenix.
"This is the second generation - the biggest change is the removable detector and it is all automatic," he said.
Kelley looked at two other digital X-ray machines but liked the features the G.E. had that the others did not.
"This offered us the best in what it could do as well as pricing and financing," she said.
When they brought the issue to the Board of Directors, they asked about the cost, Kelley said, but they also asked what the doctors thought.
Kelley said, "Dr. (Hisham) Haman said, 'This is amazing - to see a lung nodule without the overlying rib shadow...' All the doctors there (Haman, Henry Wedig, Jeffery Bushman and Dawn Walker) were very supportive. They know what it means for the patients."
She added that it also helped that CEO Smith was familiar with radiology and knew how amazing the technology actually is, since he started his medical career as an X-ray tech in the military.
Kelley said that this is the first time since she has been here in three years that the hospital has longevity of personnel.
"With the new 64-slice CT scanner and the G.E. Discovery, we have the latest and best equipment. It's easy to recruit, retain and even get employees here when needed (even just for extra hours) because they want to be trained using the new equipment," Kelley said.
Rouse, who came to NCCH from a big hospital in Phoenix a year and half ago, said he loves it here.
"I have been able to cross-train on the CT and ultrasound. In a big hospital, you can only do the one thing you were hired to do. Being able to learn other things allows me to do my job better," he said.
Kelley said the G.E. XR650 is as good as or better than any top of the line Tucson hospital has.
"You couldn't get anything better in Tucson than you can get right here at home - without the cost of driving and the time spent waiting," she said.
"We're building a better reputation for our hospital by having better equipment to take care of the people in our community," Smith said.
By Ainslee S. Wittig/Arizona Range News
Northern Cochise Community Hospital has just acquired the G.E. Discovery XR650, a state-of-the-art automated, digital X-ray machine, which will take faster and more accurate X-rays with 50 percent less radiation.
The $489,000 addition to the Willcox hospital is he first of its kind in Arizona, and one of only 21 nationwide, said CEO Harley Smith.
"It is so advanced that people are coming to Willcox to receive the best care and to see the equipment in action," Smith said.
He said the machine will pay for itself by an increase, perhaps double, in exams.
Medical Imaging Director Tina Kelley said the hospital will also save money because it will not need to have a second X-ray room and personnel.
"We had two X-ray rooms, and now we need only one, as this machine is so much faster and is guaranteed to work 97 percent of the time," Kelley said. "All machines go down occasionally, but in this case, if there are problems, they can usually be diagnosed and fixed by the company's engineers online. If they need a part, at least they know that before they come to fix it and they can bring it, saving time," she said.
Kelley said the hospital plans to use the other X-ray room for nuclear medicine in the six to eight weeks.
The new digital X-ray has two detectors, one for the table and one upright detector where the patient can stand up for chest X-rays or sit for arms, hands, etc. The detector on the table is removable, so it can be taken out and used when a patient comes in on a backboard, gurney or can't be moved easily from a wheelchair.
"It's so much easier to not have to move a patient who is hurt or older," Kelley said. "Also, the table also moves up and down, so a patient doesn't have to climb up to it."
"The machine enhances the image with tissue equalization, eliminating the lack of penetration so doctors can see things better," said Virgil Rouse, RTR (Registered Technologist of Radiology). "It can remove bones (from the image) so doctors can see the tissue underneath. There's nothing like this - it's a win-win for everyone. It helps us work smarter and faster."
One of the biggest pluses is the machine's ability to "sweep" a body part or area and all the data is stored until the doctor can review the images and make a diagnosis, Kelley said.
"You don't have to do multiple X-rays that can take hours to get done because you are moving the machine every time. There is a significant reduction in time as the sweep takes seconds instead of hours," she said.
Another major advantage of the digital G.E. XR650 is 50- to 60-percent reduced exposure to radiation over computer radiography or film X-rays, Kelley said.
The G.E. Discovery technology has been around since the fall of 2006, said G.E. application specialist Nick Piter, of Phoenix.
"This is the second generation - the biggest change is the removable detector and it is all automatic," he said.
Kelley looked at two other digital X-ray machines but liked the features the G.E. had that the others did not.
"This offered us the best in what it could do as well as pricing and financing," she said.
When they brought the issue to the Board of Directors, they asked about the cost, Kelley said, but they also asked what the doctors thought.
Kelley said, "Dr. (Hisham) Haman said, 'This is amazing - to see a lung nodule without the overlying rib shadow...' All the doctors there (Haman, Henry Wedig, Jeffery Bushman and Dawn Walker) were very supportive. They know what it means for the patients."
She added that it also helped that CEO Smith was familiar with radiology and knew how amazing the technology actually is, since he started his medical career as an X-ray tech in the military.
Kelley said that this is the first time since she has been here in three years that the hospital has longevity of personnel.
"With the new 64-slice CT scanner and the G.E. Discovery, we have the latest and best equipment. It's easy to recruit, retain and even get employees here when needed (even just for extra hours) because they want to be trained using the new equipment," Kelley said.
Rouse, who came to NCCH from a big hospital in Phoenix a year and half ago, said he loves it here.
"I have been able to cross-train on the CT and ultrasound. In a big hospital, you can only do the one thing you were hired to do. Being able to learn other things allows me to do my job better," he said.
Kelley said the G.E. XR650 is as good as or better than any top of the line Tucson hospital has.
"You couldn't get anything better in Tucson than you can get right here at home - without the cost of driving and the time spent waiting," she said.
"We're building a better reputation for our hospital by having better equipment to take care of the people in our community," Smith said.
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