The Southwest Local Health Integration Board had some bad news for Hanover and District Hospital on Tuesday.
Hospital President and CEO Katrina Wilson says she got a call Tuesday morning about Hanover's application for a CT scanner.
"We were given a phone call [Tuesday] morning from the CEO of the Southwest LHIN indicating that the LHIN staff will be recommending to the board of directors on April 18, not to endorse our CT application," says Wilson.
She says that would also mean the hospital would have to turn down the generous $1.5-million from the Lansink family, which was specifically targeted to the purchase of a CT scanner for Hanover and District Hospital.
The hospital is calling on community members to come out to a rally at the legion at 7pm Tuesday night to support a CT scanner for Hanover.
She says the LHIN believes Hanover patients can travel for a scan in Walkerton. But she says it's time for HDH to have their own scanner. She says they have a high number of very sick patients whose conditions may worsen as they have to make the trip to Walkerton for a scan.
"We have to have a nurse follow with every single transfer, so the nurses left on the unit upstairs are left with a gap to fill until that nurse comes back. That nurse is gone on the transfer for possibly one, two and maybe three hours. And that delays the time and diagnosis and treatment for the patient in need of the scan," she says.
She says they have staff ready to operate the CT scanner, and they could share staff with nearby hospital.
She also says the LHIN is usually in favour of partnerships, but is rejecting Hanover's $1.5-million partnership with the Lansink family.
