Upper River Valley Hospital Foundation announce new MRI Unit for Upper River Valley Hospital

(Upper River Valley) – The Upper River Valley Hospital Foundation, in collaboration with Horizon, is excited to announce that a new, state-of-the-art Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) unit will be installed at Horizon’s Upper River Valley Hospital (URVH), significantly enhancing access to MRI for local residents.

The new MRI unit was made possible by the Upper River Valley Hospital Foundation, which raised over $3 million through the generosity of community donors.

“In 2023, our community came together to raise funds for this crucial MRI unit. We are celebrating URVH’s first permanent MRI,” said Betty Lou Craig, Co-Chair of the Upper River Valley Hospital Foundation. “The addition of the MRI to the URVH will greatly benefit area patients by doubling the capacity and dramatically decreasing the wait times for our community,” said Andy Lenehan, Co-Chair of the Upper River Valley Hospital Foundation.

“This new MRI unit represents a significant milestone for our hospital,” said David Arbeau, Horizon’s executive director for the Upper River Valley and Fredericton area. “We are committed to enhancing access to world-class technology and we are immensely grateful to every individual and organization who contributed to this successful fundraising effort.”

“The addition of this advanced MRI unit underscores our commitment to providing accessible, high-quality care to patients in the Upper River Valley and surrounding areas,” said Margaret Melanson, President and CEO of Horizon Health Network. “This new technology will reduce wait times and travel for specialized imaging, thereby improving the overall patient experience.”

The upgraded MRI technology will enhance diagnostic capabilities and enable more types of specialized MRI exams to be completed in the community and avoiding unnecessary travel for patients.

Since 2009, URVH has relied on a shared MRI unit with Vitalité’s Campbellton Regional Hospital and in the last year it facilitated 1,290 MRI exams. The new on-site MRI unit will double the URVH’s exam and patient capacity in the coming years.

About the Upper River Valley Hospital Foundation

Established in 2019, the Upper River Valley Hospital Foundation is committed to elevating the patient experience in New Brunswick’s Upper River Valley. We serve a population of 45,000 residents, focusing on securing funds for specialized equipment and treatment programs at the Upper River Valley Hospital. Our mission is to ensure that your health is always top of mind. Through the generosity of our donors, we aim to enhance patient care and improve healthcare services in our vibrant community. For more information, visit: URVH Foundation

About Horizon Health Network

Horizon has a plan to improve health care in New Brunswick. Our plan is focused on retention and recruitment efforts and improving the overall patient experience by addressing patient flow and access to services. Further details about Horizon’s four priority areas are available at HorizonNB.ca. This initiative also supports the Government of New Brunswick’s provincial health plan, Stabilizing Health Care: An Urgent Call to Action.

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