|
VA medical equipment enhances new MUSC facility
By Shelia Watson
Contributing Writer
The ongoing discussions about partnering and collaboration between the Medical University of South Carolina and the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center now have tangible evidence of the project’s potential with the VA’s purchase of equipment that will be placed in MUSC’s new facility.
MUSC’s Center for Advanced Medicine facility, slated to open in the summer, will include two interventional radiology/angiography rooms, purchased by the VA at a cost of $3.5 million, to be placed in Phase I.
In addition, the VA has purchased a $3.2-million tomotherapy suite for use in the Hollings Oncology Center.
Rick Mahon, senior health systems specialist at the VA, said a contract should be completed within 30 days, and installation is expected within six months.
The new hospital will focus on chest pain and digestive diseases, among other health care issues requiring advanced medical treatment.
Besides the 156 beds for cardiovascular and digestive disease services and nine operating rooms, including one equipped with fixed equipment for vascular surgery, the 641,000-square-foot facility will include a variety of high-tech resources, such as electrophysiology labs, interventional/diagnostic cath labs, interventional radiology labs, endoscopy suites, outpatient clinics and a specialized chest pain center.
The imaging capacity includes diagnostic CTs, an interventional CT, a diagnostic MRI and nuclear cameras.
The VA equipment is part of a lease agreement with MUSC, which will provide a revenue stream to the VA to support patient care and lower the cost of specialty services purchased by the VA.
Veterans would have equal access to the equipment operated by MUSC, and veterans will receive priority access to the VA-purchased equipment, said John Barilich, director of the VA.
“This is win for all of us,” he said. “For us, it’s a good move because we are limited by physical space at the VA hospital. This way we can get the equipment and have it in place for use by veterans.
“And the patients at MUSC will benefit from its use as well.”
|
E-Mail This Article
Printer-Friendly Version