State of the art x-ray in operation at Richards Landing hospital

The North Shore Health Network (NSHN) Richards Landing-Matthews site is the first of the three NSHN sites to receive an updated x-ray.

Thanks to the generosity of donors, the fund raising effort of the NSHN Foundation and the NSHN Auxiliary-Richards Landing-Matthews Site committee, a new portable digital x-ray machine is now in service.

Representatives of the NSHN, the NSHN Foundation and the NSHN Auxiliary, Richards Landing-Matthews Site committee had the opportunity to view the new equipment on March 27.

"The North Shore Health Network Foundation is thrilled with the new equipment," said Donna Orlando, NSHN Foundation chair. "We couldn't have accomplished this without community involvement in our fundraising events and the generous support of donors."

Sites with the oldest equipment were updated first. The x-ray at the Richards Landing-Matthews Site was 17 years old. It was removed on March 22 and is going to be used in Thessalon as a portable unit.

Valued at $179,700, the new x-ray equipment was fully funded by the contribution of $104,940 from the Richards Landing-Matthews Site Auxiliary Committee and $74,760 from the NSHN Foundation.

Connie Lee, NSHN chief nursing officer expressed gratitude for the digital X-ray as it brings the Richards Landing-Matthews site diagnostic imaging capabilities to current best practices.

Specialized training was required.

Kim Rousselle, NSHN, diagnostic imaging manager and Jonathon Vairo, NSHN x-ray technologist enthusiastically described the improvements provided by the new portable digital x-ray as compared to computed radiography which uses a cassette and digitizer for processing.

Improved features include, fast, high-quality images. Digital images can be viewed in seconds on the screen instead of minutes due to processing and lower radiation doses.

Images are transferred by wi-fi to radiologists in Sudbury and the digital machine is mobile for transporting to the critically ill or injured patient.

"We would like to thank all of the people on St. Joseph Island and along the North Shore for their support of the North Shore Health Network Richards Landing-Matthews Site Auxiliary," said Joan Clute, Richards Landing-Matthew, Auxiliary chair. "Without them we would not have been able to purchase the needed medical equipment for our hospital, including the new digital x-ray machine."

Fundraising has begun for digital x-ray machines for the NSHN Thessalon and Blind River sites. The estimated cost for this equipment is a minimum of $260,000 per site. 

The process to identify equipment to these sites has not yet begun.

The NSHN Thessalon site is scheduled to receive its upgrade in about one year and the NSHN Blind River site in two years.

The North Shore Health Network Foundation and NSHN Auxiliaries appreciate the support received for each site through gifts from individuals, families and businesses as  well as their support of fundraising events.

All funds are directed to the site specified by the donors and help fund essential medical equipment and patient services.

Medical equipment costs are not cover by the Ministry of Health,  which is why the NSHN Foundation and the NSHN Auxiliary groups are constantly working to meet ongoing needs in our communities.