By continuing to add new treatments and services to expanded and upgraded facilities, health-care providers throughout SEIDA’s tri-state area are ensuring quality care in their communities.

Treatments that used to require travel and stays in other cities are now available at home, saving patients time, money and worry. And with new technology and facilities either open or in the works, expect even better outcomes going forward, providers say.

Parkridge Medical Center

High-tech robotics are taking center stage at Parkridge Medical Center, in Chattanooga, where the da Vinci robotic surgical system has been offered since 2002. The robotics system has been used in more than 1,400 procedures, and leads to smaller incisions, shorter recovery times and better outcomes.
Parkridge also now has the CSI Diamondback 360 atherectomy for peripheral arterial disease, helping patients avoid surgery or amputation, and its Sarah Cannon Cancer Center is the first hospital in Tennessee to introduce the Xoft Axxent electronic brachytherapy system, which delivers radiation at the time of surgery for cancer patients.

Memorial Health Care System

At Chattanooga's Memorial Health Care System, a new Electromagnetic Navigation Bronchoscopy, or ENB, procedure acts like a GPS, allowing physicians to provide quicker, more effective treatment to high-risk patients.

In addition to the ENB, Memorial also has ramped up its technological offerings to include the Novalis Tx radiation treatment system, which offers shorter and fewer treatment sessions, and EBUS, a less invasive diagnostic technique for patients who may have lung cancer or other chest-related diseases.

These systems are necessary to achieve Memorial’s mission going forward, says James Hobson, president and chief executive officer of Memorial Health Care System.
“Equipping our physicians and staff with leading edge technology is vital to providing excellence in patient care and ensuring Memorial is positioned to meet the increasing health-care needs of the community,” Hobson says. The hospital is expected to start construction on a $380-million expansion and renovation project this spring that could create 200 jobs. 

Hamilton Health

In Dalton, Ga., Hamilton Health also has rolled out a da Vinci system, and is the only hospital within 100 miles to offer 3-D imaging, as well as whole-body PET/CT scans in less than 20 minutes thanks to the Biograph™ mCT. The machine combines PET and CT imaging to give physicians more information faster, making treatment more effective.

“We've worked hard to keep up with cutting-edge technology in health care, because it provides better patient outcomes,” says Shawn Molsberger, the hospital's vice president. “Whether it's technology used for diagnosis or a cure, it's important for us to provide these services here so patients don't have to travel outside the Dalton area for top-quality care. And it's an attractive benefit for businesses looking to locate here.”

Murphy Medical Center

Patient safety combined with new technology remains a focus at Murphy Medical Center, in Murphy, N.C., which has rolled out new “smart” IV pumps that boost safety by preventing medication errors.