Hospital Foundation celebrates new residence, imaging equipment

PENTICTON – Penticton Regional Hospital has some of the most state of the art X-ray equipment in the Okanagan following the completion of a major upgrade to the hospital’s radiology department.

The hospital’s recent upgrades include updated X-ray rooms and a new portable, digital X-ray unit.

The South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation held an open house today to mark the completion of the fundraising campaign to raise $1.5 million needed for the equipment upgrade.

Professional practice leader Shannon Carver says the hospital sees approximately 41,000 X-ray patients each year. The new imaging equipment is digital, replacing the need for technicians to handle heavy, bulky cassettes following each set of X-rays. The machines operate at the touch of a button and deliver a higher resolution image faster than before, and with less radiation.

“Now this equipment is all digitized. The technician stands behind the glass, presses a button and it’s done," Foundation executive director Janice Perrino says. "It’s faster, it’s less radiation and it’s better for all. It’s the way health care should be… made possible by the donors and we’re just incredibly thrilled.”

Three digital imaging rooms in the hospital were also updated with funding coming from the Regional Hospital District. 

A tour was also given of a new residence for students and resident doctors donated by the estate of Lloyd and Lota Jobling of Penticton. The new residence is located next to the hospital’s psychiatric unit, replacing a 30-year-old trailer which will be removed to make way for the new hospital patient care tower. Jennifer Connolly Interiors and Designs of Penticton donated several hours of labour to help furnish the residence, which will be housing its first student on Sunday.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.