NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

NEW MRI OPENS AT HALIFAX REGIONAL
First Patient is 14 year old girl from Conway

ROANOKE RAPIDS, NC – (January 24, 2006) – The first patient scanned by the new Magnetic Resonance Imaging scanner says it was a pleasant experience. Teresa Yarbrough of Conway in Northampton County is 14 years old and has a positive report.

Teresa’s physician, Tonya Brown, MD of Conway, ordered the scan for Teresa because of persistent back pain. “She had been x-rayed,” says her mother, Darlene, “but the doctor could not identify the source of the pain.
“We were quite comfortable in the new MRI Center,” reports Darlene. “This was a first for us, and the MRI team explained exactly what would be happening so we knew what to expect.”
Darlene was allowed to see the monitor that the technicians were seeing when Teresa was scanned. “It was a positive experience and I would definitely return to Halifax Regional if I or any family member needed an MRI,” she says.
“The technicians could talk with Teresa through the headsets, and she could squeeze a ball when she wanted to communicate,” Darlene continued. “But she did not need to do that.”
The procedure took about 30 minutes, much less than Teresa expected. “The opening was much bigger than I thought it would be,” she said. “I did not feel closed in. Everyone was friendly.”

The new MRI scanner replaces a mobile unit housed in a trailer. Halifax Regional has invested $1.7 million in expanding a building in the Medical Park and purchasing the scanner. “The MRI acquisition is one of the benefits of being a not-for-profit organization,” said Will Mahone, CEO of Halifax Regional. “Any funds remaining at the end of the year are re-invested in improving healthcare in the community.”
The MRI unit, manufactured by Siemens Medical Solutions, is comfortable for patients of all sizes, says William Navarro, Imaging Manager at Halifax Regional. “We have an ultra high-speed machine that provides excellent image quality, short examinations and improved workflow in our department,” he said.
Patients will find the MRI conveniently located at 210 Smith Church Road. Outpatients drive directly to the building where there is parking and easy access. Inpatients in the Medical Center will be transported approximately 200 yards by ambulance to the facility.

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About Halifax Regional
Halifax Regional Medical Center is licensed for 206-beds, including psychiatric and nursery. A non-profit organization, Halifax Regional is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. For more information, visit www.halifaxmedicalcenter.org.