New MRI arrives at NRMC

Workers from Belger Cartage Services of Kansas City, Mo., guide the 12,130-pound Magnetronic Symphony 1.5 T, MRI unit into an opening in the east wall of the Nevada Regional Medical Center on Monday. After setting the unit on a 1-inch steel plate, workers installed wheels on the MRI so it could be moved and positioned in the building. The MRI is built by the Seimens company. Dean Murrell of Seimens said a crew will take about a week to get the unit set, leveled and hooked up and a Seimens. engineer will spend another two weeks calibrating the machine. Once the machine is operational, a two week training period for NRMC personell will follow. NRMC community relations director, Aimee Meyer said the unit will be in daily use by some time in November. Rusty Murry/Daily Mail.

A new Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine has arrived and will soon be put to use at Nevada Regional Medical Center. Delivered Oct. 24, the machine's installation is under way, and the first use is slated for November, according to information passed on to the NRMC board of directors during a meeting Tuesday.

Meanwhile, much recruiting activity is taking place at NRMC. The search for a new chief financial officer to replace Cindy Buck, who resigned earlier this year to pursue other opportunities, is progressing. QHR representative David Yackel said the search began with 15 candidates whose resumes were reviewed, then phone interviews were conducted and the field narrowed to three. Additional interviews were conducted and the field narrowed to two candidates, who will be interviewed on site in November.

Physician recruitment also continues; and CEO Judy Feuquay said the hospital is hiring a retained recruiter to help with the effort to recruit psychiatric doctors, a general surgeon and an emergency department doctor who also can perform other duties, such as serving patients in a clinic. "We're looking for that versatility," in an emergency room physician, Feuquay said.

At the long-term care facilities, inpatient days are up, with an average daily census at 120.5 patients, just above the budgeted 119. "We held strong the full month of September, and October has stayed that way," said Denise Sloniker, long term care vice president. Revenues were slightly above budget while expenses were about 7 percent.

Sloniker said it's time to begin replacing electric beds at the facilities, and the board approved the purchase of 15 beds at a cost of $33,238.52; slightly less than the $33,600 budgeted.