Health system opens new $50M, state-of-the-art imaging center
A Pennsylvania health system has opened a new $50 million, state-of-the-art radiology center, part of $400 million in investments toward advanced imaging technologies aimed at enhancing diagnostic care.
Allegheny Health Network on Thursday celebrated the completion and formal opening of the facility, at West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh. The 46,382-square-foot center offers the full range of imaging services including X-ray, ultrasound, interventional radiology procedures, CT, MR, PET and more.
“This investment significantly enhances our ability to deliver comprehensive, integrated care, which ultimately leads to better outcomes for our patients,” Brian Johnson, MD, president of AHN West Penn Hospital, said in a statement Sept. 25.
The center will be led by a team of board-certified radiologists alongside specially trained technologists, nurses and support staff. It features a 3T MR machine, providing enhanced clarity and faster imaging times, along with a new PET/CT scanner that supports increased patient throughput. AHN and Highmark Health—an integrated provider organization that includes a health plan—have now invested $400 million over the last five years to enhance imaging capabilities and bolster capacity. This recently included the AHN Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, completing a $100 million renovation of its radiology department.
AHN also recently completed a four-year effort to achieve the Diagnostic Imaging Centers of Excellence designation for its 36 imaging facilities. The new imaging center is slated to begin accepting walk-in mammograms on Oct. 1.
"These new capabilities at West Penn mark yet another significant expansion and enhancement of imaging services across the network," radiologist Jeffrey S. Mueller, MD, chair of the AHN radiology department, said in the announcement. “By investing in the latest technology, we are ensuring that our patients have access to outstanding care resources across our entire AHN footprint.”
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.