Petersburg Medical Center brings MRI online, schedules July 14 open house and plans new service lines

Petersburg Medical Center staff said the hospital’s new MRI has started seeing patients and the facility will host a community open house on July 14 from 3 to 6 p.m.

In remarks to the board, a presenter described the MRI suite as a tightly controlled environment. "It is completely enclosed in a in a copper lined room. So it's a room within a room within a room. It's very regulated," the presenter said, adding that strict access procedures are required because of the magnetized environment.

Administrators said the MRI has been brought online gradually over the past year and that the open house will include brief presentations and tours of education and telehealth spaces in the new campus.

The hospital also reported additional capital and service improvements: a medication‑safety dispensing unit (Pixus) is live in the emergency department and acute care areas; a new chemistry analyzer was purchased to expand in‑town testing and reduce turnaround time; and a subscription direct primary care program is being readied with monthly fees discussed as $120 for adults and $80 for children. Administrators said Medicare and Medicaid patients are not eligible for the subscription product due to regulatory limits.

Administration said some capital purchases (notably a CT scanner and beds) will be financed via capital lease and that specific vendor quotes and lease terms will be presented to the board before execution.

Provenance: Topic introduced at SEG 240 and continued through SEG 324.