Supporting medical equipment needs benefits everybody

The difference between an analog mammogram and a new digital mammogram image.

Once again the residents of Prince Edward County have shown their passion for their local hospital (PECMH) by donating $750,000 to the PECMH Foundation over the last year.
These funds will be directed to digital mammography and a new ultrasound machine that provides more superior images than the previous machine. Both of these machines are already in use.
Approximately18 months ago, QHC had a strategic planning survey as well as staff and community meetings. At that time both Belleville and Trenton hospitals had recently acquired digital mammography machines. Some of us, and some hospital staff, asked CEO Mary Clare Egberts to give the County residents an opportunity to raise funds for such a machine at PECMH. To her and the QHC board’s credit, they gave the Foundation permission to start fundraising. This inclusion of this equipment was extremely advantageous to County residents as public transportation from the County to Belleville and Trenton is somewhat limited.
The PECMH Foundation has done a stellar job in managing to raise the $750,000 in one year. That is due to the fact that more than 700 donors have made generous contributions. One third, or $250,000 of that amount was raised by our local PECMH Auxiliary. This is a group of approximately 200 volunteers who work tirelessly to raise funds for their local community hospital. Perhaps if you have two or more hours to spare a month you may want to think about joining the Auxiliary to help fund much needed equipment for our local community hospital.

Keep in mind that the Ministry of Health will provide funds for the maintenance of equipment but will NOT fund the purchase. That is why it is so important to support our local hospital Foundation so that we may have state of the art equipment as close to home as possible.

A well as having mammograms as close to home as possible, residents can feel reasonably comfortable knowing that their exam is being performed by a well trained technologist (Meghan) and a PECMH Auxiliary volunteer helping with patient flow. Also, now there is a Radiologist at PECMH on a daily basis.

QHC also has a Breast Assessment Centre at Trenton Memorial Hospital if special views or ultrasound are required. The difference between an analog mammogram and a new digital mammogram is quite striking.

The residents of Prince Edward County can give themselves a pat on the back for once again coming to the aid of their local hospital.

You can help with Picton hospital’s medical equipment needs by supporting this year’s Christmas Appeal to purchase a valuable piece of equipment required to monitor the wellbeing of babies – a fetal monitor.

The type that Quinte Health Care requires allows the maternity nurse and or doctor to monitor both the progress of labour (as it can record the contraction pattern) alongside the baby’s heart sounds to help ensure its wellbeing. The monitor allows the staff to read and interpret how the baby is tolerating the labour process by attaching belts to the mom’s abdomen. An additional future ability with a new fetal monitor is to have all the monitors the same within the corporation with a computer
type component that will allow Belleville staff to read a monitor strip from Picton if a concern arises and a consultation from an obstetrician
is required.

Help decorate the QHC Picton tree with pink and blue ribbons in support of moms and their newborn babies. You are all invited to attend a tree lighting ceremony at the front of the hospital on Thursday, Dec. 6 at 6 p.m.

Click here for more information and to make donations for medical equipment needs.
-Fran