Rome Memorial Hospital marked the start of construction of its new Women’s Imaging Center and MRI expansion with a steel-signing ceremony today.
The $8.8 million project features a two-story addition, which will house the hospital’s new Women’s Imaging Center and onsite MRI. When the project is completed by next fall, mammography, ultrasound and bone density will be consolidated in one area to provide patients with greater comfort, privacy and convenience. The project includes investments in the latest technology including digital mammography and a new MRI to improve the hospital’s diagnostic capabilities.
"Like the recent Emergency Department expansion, this project takes a thoughtful approach to redesigning the environment in which care is provided to our patients," said Dr. John Restivo, chairman of the Medical Imaging Department. "We’ve taken into consideration the sensitive nature of women’s imaging to help women feel more at ease when they come for diagnostic testing."
"We’ve always made investments in state-of-the-art technology and recruited specialized technologists and radiologists with advanced training. This facility better reflects the level of imaging that we currently perform day in and day out," Restivo said. "It will provide almost a spa-like environment to help women relax during exams that can be stressful."
Dierctor of the Medical Imaging Department Sharon Carson noted that there will be a central dressing area in the Women’s Imaging Center where women will have a secure place to store their belongings. "The design is configured so women won’t have to dress and undress between procedures if they are scheduled for multiple imaging studies," she explained.
Having an MRI onsite will also expand the hospital’s tools for diagnosing breast cancer when an abnormality has been identified. Once the project is completed, MRI-guided breast biopsy will be available for those abnormalities that are best seen using MRI.
The new Women’s Imaging Center and MRI will complement the hospital’s Medical Imaging Department, which was recently expanded with a new 64-slice CT scanner and new nuclear medicine suite.
Hueber-Breuer Construction Co., Syracuse, is the general contractor for the new addition, which was designed by HOLT Architects, of Ithaca, and financed through M&T Bank.
