Rural hospitals band together to offer MRI services
Five rural hospitals in California are banding together to offer MRI services.
Seneca Healthcare District, Chester, recently announced the move, working with other entities across the Northern California counties of Plumas, Modoc and Shasta. The critical access hospitals have formed what they call the Multi-Entity Regional Critical Access Hospital Mobile MRI initiative, together reaching over 20,000 patients.
They will rotate a moving MRI unit weekly among the participants, “ensuring consistent access to high-quality imaging services in remote areas.”
“This is a historic moment for rural healthcare in Northern California,” Shawn McKenzie, CEO of the Seneca Healthcare District, said in an announcement published by the Plumas Sun Nov. 2. “By working together, we hope to achieve something none of us could have done alone. We hope this is just the beginning of a strong partnership where we continue to support each other and find innovative ways to serve our communities.”
Others participating include the Plumas District Hospital in Quincy, Calif., Eastern Plumas Health Care, Portola, Calif., Modoc Medical Center, Alturas, Calif., and Mayers Memorial Hospital District, Fall River Mills, Calif. This marks the first time the five entities have collaborated at this scale, McKenzie and colleagues noted.
They’re now actively working toward the potential future purchase of a dedicated mobile MRI unit. This would allow them to gain greater control over scheduling and service delivery, reduce long-term costs and ensure more dependable imaging access, with exams managed directly by the hospitals.
The announcement comes after MRI services were suspended at the Seneca Healthcare District in October due to “equipment issues” with the third-party operator that brought the MRI trailer to the hospital on scheduled days. SHD touted the resumption of regular MR imaging at the 10-bed hospital following the partnership.
“MRI is a vital diagnostic tool, especially in rural healthcare settings where access has historically been limited,” Brady Haynes, Seneca Healthcare District’s chief operating officer, said in the same announcement. “We’re proud to bring this service back to our community and remain committed to expanding access to advanced medical care.”
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.