ALLISTON, ON. - Stevenson Memorial Hospital (SMH) today announced that it has received approval from the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care for the installation and operation of a CT (CAT) scanner.

"SMH has a compelling case to have a CT scanner on site and we are delighted with the Ministry approval," said Gary Ryan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Stevenson Memorial Hospital. "Our community is one of the fastest growing regions in Canada and it's essential that SMH, as a model community hospital, keeps pace with this growth and continues to deliver quality health care to residents."

The CT Scanner will cost the Hospital $1 million to acquire and approximately $2 million in capital funds for construction to house the new state-of-the art technology. Capital funding for both the scanner and the construction and installation costs has been planned for in the current Capital Campaign of the SMH Foundation, "Here's to Your Good Health." The campaign has been very successful with 70 per cent of its $5 million target already raised.

"Once the CT is operating on a full schedule, it will eventually eliminate the need for patients to travel to Southlake Regional Health Centre or other facilities," said SMH Board-designate Chair Ted Vandevis. "This is an exciting milestone in the Hospital's history. We applaud and thank our community volunteers and the SMH Foundation for working so hard to help make this a reality."

The goal is for the scanner to be installed and operational by April 2009. Initially operating Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., it will have the capacity for 2,000 patients in its first year. Emergency scans will be available after hours for head injuries. Currently, patients requiring CT scans are transported by ambulance to other local facilities, the closest being over 50 kilometres away, with nurse accompaniment. In 2006/2007, about 350 SMH patients were referred out for CT scans.

Installation plans for the CT scanner are currently being finalized, but the scanner will be located in new space contiguous with the existing Diagnostic Imaging Department and the Emergency Department.