Healdsburg District Hospital seeks funds for MRI machine

The Healdsburg District Hospital, in conjunction with the Healdsburg Healthcare Foundation, is seeking donations to fund a permanent MRI machine at the hospital. MRIs are used to diagnose, evaluate and monitor a number of medical conditions. Currently, the hospital relies on a mobile MRI trailer two days a week to assess these conditions.

The organizations seek to raise $3 million. The Kalmanovitz Charitable Foundation has committed matching funds.

The hospital currently sends many patients to other facilities for the scans. The hospital district loses the revenue it could receive by offering the imaging unit 24 hours a day. According to the numbers released by the Boylan Point Agency, the public relations firm hired by the district, the hospital expects to provide up to 1,400 more MRIs each year, adding up to $1.4 million to the hospital’s bottom line.

The campaign opened in November, according to Vivian Beaulieu, executive services manager.

The hospital has received a pledge for matching funds from the Kalmanovitz foundation, which funds capital projects to hospitals, universities and schools.

Donors can mail checks to the Healthcare Foundation “MRI Match,” PO Box 1025, Healdsburg, 95448 or donate online at donate.healthcarefoundation.net/pages/kalmanovitz-challenge. For more information, contact Cadi Young at 431-6540 or cyoung@nschd.org.