Bassett Celebrates Reaching Fundraising Goals For CT Scanner

DELHI - The O'Connor Hospital, part of the Bassett Healthcare Network in Delhi, needed a new CT Scanner, and through fundraising and a dedicated board, the scanner is up and running.

A CT scanner utilizes X-ray technology to produce layered images, providing detailed pictures of the internal structures of the body. The scanner can help diagnose abdominal pain, ulcers, and pockets of infection in the colon, among other conditions.

The new machine will save time for patients by taking 128 images in 6 seconds, as opposed to 40 images over 20 seconds, explained Peter Burghardt, Manager of Medical Imaging. It can identify pathologies and higher quality imaging at a much lower radiation dose," he noted, "That is really significant and exciting."

Hospital staff celebrated the completion of the $750,000 project with a donor party and ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 19. The CT scanner began operating on February 10th.

Joyce and David Barber of Hobart were major donors, gifting over $100,000 to the project. Joyce explained that they were searching for something worthwhile to contribute. "We were looking for a way to help the most people," Joyce said, "It took a while to figure out what to do because there are lots of places." She told a tale of when the hospital patched her up after nearly losing her finger to the hedge trimmer. "They are here, and it's critical access; mine was pretty simple, but they know what they are doing," she said, "It might be a tiny place, but the care is just the same."

Board Chairman Pete Hamilton was a key driving force in completing the project, said President and CEO Staci Thompson. "We could not have done this without you (donors and staff) and especially without Pete," she said. Many people, including Hamilton, said that health care is Pete's hobby.

"This journey has been about a year in the making,"  said Thompson, "We know this equipment will serve Delhi, surrounding communities, and our patients for a long time."