Charlotte County Health Care Update May 22, 2024 (ST. STEPHEN) – Horizon continues to work on enhancing access to community-based health care services for residents of the Charlotte County area and optimizing acute care at Horizon’s Charlotte County Hospital (CCH). These improvements are in alignment with Horizon’s four critical action priorities, which include access to services, patient flow, patient experience, and recruitment and retention. We’re pleased to share an update on the progress for the installation of the new computed tomography (CT) scanner. We will also share this update with key community partners to increase awareness for patients, families and visitors. Horizon is committed to providing the best possible care for patients and their families in Charlotte County, and we expect the new state-of-the-art CT scanner to be operational by year’s end. We are grateful for the efforts of the Charlotte County Hospital Foundation and kindness of donors in raising more than $700,000 for the CT scanner during their 2022 radiothon. We are pleased to share that renovations to CCH and construction of the space for the CT scanner are now underway and scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2024. “We’ve been diligently working through the standard tendering processes required, which can sometimes be a slow process, but it’s an essential part of ensuring transparency and compliance with government regulations,” said Jeff Carter, VP Capital Assets, Operations and Infrastructure. Celina Bountalas, Director of Medical Imaging for the Saint John area said once the construction is finished, the CT scanner will be delivered, installed and staff will be trained. “Our staff will undergo extensive training to ensure that they are fully equipped to utilize this cutting-edge equipment to provide you with the quality care you deserve,” she said. Once the CT scanner is fully operational, work will continue as we prepare for the digital X-ray suite. This expansion was also made possible by the generous efforts of the Charlotte County Hospital Foundation, raising more than $450,000 for the digital X-ray suite during their 2023 radiothon. We understand that waiting can be difficult, especially when it comes to important health care services, but we will continue to provide updates as we reach milestones in this process.