FARMINGTON – Since April, Franklin Memorial Hospital has been in the process of constructing an expansion of its facility to house a new magnetic resonance imaging scanner. This week the magnet for the MRI – consisting of 18 miles of wiring and weighing six tons – arrived and was placed in the new space.
The project is expected to be completed and ready for patients to use by mid-December following stringent comprehensive commissioning including calibration with the manufacturer and subsequent performance monitoring to assure the highest quality standards.
According to Kim Turner, FMH director of radiology, cardiology, and pulmonary services: “This is an important hospital investment toward better serving our patients. The scanner’s state-of-the-art platform makes it one of the most versatile and powerful systems available to date with feet-first, whole body coverage.”
MRI is a noninvasive medical test that utilizes magnetic fields to produce anatomical images of internal body parts to help physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions. The new scanner features advanced wide-bore technology to improve patients’ experiences by operating with less noise, decreasing feelings of claustrophobia, and accommodating heavier patients up to 500 pounds.
I bet Kurt has it under control!
well thats quite impressive!
It seems an odd investment considering the hospital struggles to stay in the black or retain high quality, well trained, MD’s. The demand for MRI services seemed adequately met by the traveling unit or a drive to Augusta or L/A. Anyone with anything beyond triage/ patch ’em and pack ’em is going to Portland or Boston for specialist care. This hospital primarily serves the areas less mobile medicare and medicaid recipients. I would have thought the money better spent on diabetes care/ endocrine specialist(s) and mental health/psychiatry services since these are the number one health challenges of the local population—and cause many secondary medical issues/trips to ER/ costs to themselves and the “system”. Heart disease is also a big problem around here, but, given the high rates of diabetes…the two go hand in hand. A few years ago the state put out a study that showed Franklin County residents die of preventable illness at significantly higher rates, and die on average 10 years earlier, than Mainer’s in the southern part of the state.
There older smaller MRI scanner was very claustrophobic. I had to ask them to pull me twice, my arms would be squished hard against me and it seemed as if my nose was just an inch or two away from hitting the top of the drum. I’m 6 foot 230lbs, I cant imagine how scary it was for someone larger and already scared from an injury or illness. This is going to save many lives in our community for a very long time. Thank you to everyone responsible for getting this life saving equipment for all of us !
Way to go! Always great to see when hospitals further their imaging technology! From this x-ray technologist to FMH Diagnostic Imaging, congratulations!
This will make a great addition to our hospital. I for one am impressed with the addition. Way to go FMH!
House MD,
This County only cares about one thing, making the rich richer, and the poor, well, poorer. The business here, is always prepared to put it back on the tax payer, whether it be monetarily or just, as Scrooge best said: “Decreasing the surplus population.”
To yourself though, I think we all need more whistle blowers in industry. We know the local representatives serve no one but business and themselves. They all have better care than the impoverished population here. What a sad state of affairs in Franklin County, indeed.
Ok Maine Man,
We get it….But if you ever have a sharp pain in your lower right side…Do not come to the FM Hospital…You just march yourself down to the local book store or the library and look up what is wrong with you…CT & MRI are wonderful tools for doctors to look deep into places X-rays cannot show.
We appreciate the Rockefellers and all the medical equipment, surgical supplies, pharmaceuticals, and the medical billing industry we have been privileged to enjoy
at Franklin Memorial Hospital.
The six ton stone monument in the quiet sanctuary
of the rear entrance and the outdoor facility replaced with a six ton in side MRI unit reassures the community that Franklin Memorial Hospital
has their priorities in order for our health and welfare.
@’Tame Lion, Dead Eagle’,
Considering I have needed to be on top of my own health, since I was diagnosed with a terminal illness, in my teens; and considering the fact that I am still, over 20 years later, leaving the doctors themselves speechless…
I think I got you covered there, but thanks for your concern.
Would you, by chance, be one of the many who do not look after your own health (i.e. smoker, drinker, junk food or even processed food junkie); you know, one of those that costs others so much in annual health care costs. You might want to hush your tone there, and remember that you do not know who you may be talking to.
..or you can just ignore the comment that I was commenting in response to. Sounds like they know a thing or two, more than you, as well. Bye now.