Almonte, Ont. hospital celebrates new CT scanner

Art and Helen Levi cut the ribbon to celebrate the Almonte General Hospital's new CT scanner. (Almonte General Hospital/supplied)

Residents in and around Almonte, Ont. will soon have a way to get CT scans close to home.

The hospital's new CT scanner has now officially been installed following a successful fundraising campaign.

The CT scanner cost $3.2 million, an investment hospital officials said would improve service for patients in the Ottawa Valley.

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"This CT scan is an incredible win for our community. Due to increasing need, wait times for CT imaging across the Ottawa Valley are longer than ever," said hospital chief of staff Dr. Melanie Fortune in a news release Tuesday. "Having a CT scanner here in Almonte will help our local patients and their families by getting testing when they need it and closer to home."

Patients in Almonte needing a CT scan are sent to either Ottawa or Smiths Falls, each more than 40 kilometres away.

More than 100 guests, including donors, volunteers, local politicians and staff gathered at the hospital Tuesday afternoon to celebrate the new machine.

The hospital says it will be naming its diagnostic imaging department the Helen & Art Levi Diagnostic Imaging Department, in honour of the Levis' contributions to the Almonte General Hospital and Fairview Manor Foundation, totalling more than $1 million.

"Having access to a modern, CT scanner within our community's hospital would not have been made possible without the exceptional support of the community, led by Art & Helen Levi," said Foundation Board Chair Seth Richards. "On behalf of the Foundation, we want to thank everyone who contributed, and worked tirelessly to see this milestone achieved."

The hospital says 2,226 people donated to the campaign to buy a CT scanner, with the average donation being $2,547. The hospital also introduced paid parking to help pay for the scanner.

The new CT scanner at the Almonte General Hospital will be fully functional "in the coming weeks," the hospital says.