The Healthcare Foundation Northern Sonoma County has accepted a $3 million matching "challenge grant" that will provide for renovation and re-equipping of the Imaging Center at Healdsburg District Hospital.
The $3 million dollar-for-dollar challenge grant comes from the Mill Valley-based Kalmanovitz Charitable Foundation. Contingent on the Healthcare Foundation donors matching the offer over the next five years, the final amount will be $6 million.
The funds will allow the hospital to renovate the scanner room and acquire a 64-slice digital CT scanner for better diagnosis of stroke victims and other patients.
Foundation officials say they are almost halfway to completing the challenge because previous donations set aside for the hospital's imaging center will count toward the goal.
The money also would be earmarked for upgrading the radiology and fluoroscopy rooms, which haven't been updated in 30 years.
New ultrasound and X-ray equipment, including an X-ray C-Arm, critical for surgical use, will be part of the modernization.
"Not only do we need these upgrades to offer the best care for our community, but we need to have the most modern equipment and facilities to attract the best and brightest physicians, nurses, and health care specialists that are available," stated Rick Ventura, the Healthcare Foundation's executive director.
With the renovations and new equipment, doctors would no longer have to refer patients to imaging and radiology services out of the district, according to the Healthcare Foundation.
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