Wabash General Hospital in Mount Carmel is making a significant change to its mobile MRI services to enhance access and stability for patients. At Monday evening’s board meeting, President and CEO Karissa Turner announced that the hospital will shift away from its current shared MRI service agreement and instead establish the mobile MRI unit on a more permanent basis.
Turner explained that while the hospital will continue using the same mobile MRI unit, it will now be stationed at Wabash General Hospital full-time under a new agreement for up to 36 months, with the option to end the contract after 24 months. This move is intended to provide greater consistency in MRI services, particularly as the hospital expands its orthopedic care offerings.
The change is also expected to significantly increase availability. Turner noted that the hospital anticipates adding approximately 100 additional MRI appointment slots per month, with extended hours that could eventually include six or even seven days a week. Hospital officials pointed out that the current arrangement involves travel time between facilities, which restricts availability. By having the unit on site full-time, these delays will be eliminated, resulting in more efficient scheduling.
Additionally, Turner stated that the updated agreement includes a software upgrade for the MRI unit and will result in a slight increase in the monthly lease cost.
The transition is anticipated to occur in mid-April.
Hospital leaders emphasize that this move is a crucial step in improving patient access and preparing for future plans to bring MRI services permanently in-house.