Penticton Regional Hospital is getting closer to having a second computerized tomography (CT) machine thanks to the 15th annual Tree of Dreams campaign.
The South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation has less than half a million dollars to go in what started out as a $3-million fundraising effort last spring.
The latest scanner is expected to provide higher quality images and reduce heavy demand on the existing CT machine, said Jeff Wojcik, section head for medical imaging at the hospital.
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“We’re having trouble keeping up with the volume,” Wojcik said in a news release. “We often try to sandwich emergency patients in between out-patients and oncology patients.”
Along with the CT itself, the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation said extensive building renovations are required, which brings the total project cost to $5 million.
The Okanagan Similkameen Regional Hospital District is contributing $2 million, with the SOS Medical Foundation raising the remainder.
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The new machine is expected to be operational by the time the emergency department renovation is complete in early 2022.
Information for those who wish to donate can be found here.
