Harton Hospital Gets New MRI

On Tuesday, a very large crane was used at Harton Regional Medical Center to install a Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine (MRI) at Harton was receiving a transplant of its own: a new and upgraded magnetic imaging component weighing nearly 10,000 pounds. According to CEO Russ Spray, the new, upgraded MRI machine will provide vast improvements in both quantity and quality over its 11-year old predecessor.
Spray said that despite its $1.6 million cost, the price of an MRI will not go up. He said that most of the reimbursements are already negotiated and under contract with the various insurance providers like Medicare, Tenncare, and the private insurance companies so the hospital can charge whatever we want, but they will still only pay the negotiated amount. According to Stephanie Speegle, Harton’s Director of Marketing & Customer Loyalty, the entire rear wall of the imaging room had to be torn out just to allow enough space to get the new part inside. The crane was then needed to carefully lift the gigantic device off its flatbed transport truck, but first, a platform with wheels had to be built on the spot outside the imaging room, so it could be rolled into its new home.
Spray said the new machine should be fully operational by April 23, 2012.