Central Alberta Medical Imaging Services (CAMIS), based in Red Deer, announced earlier this month they have finalized plans to open a medicalimaging centre in Sylvan Lake.
The centre will be located in the Beju Industrial area and will occupy around 6000 square feet on two levels. The centre is expected to beoperational in late March of 2016.
Patty Simpson, office manager for CAMIS’ Red Deer location, explained the Sylvan Lake facility will contain two ultrasound rooms to begin with, aswell as a board certified radiologist.
“Sylvan is a good location for not only access to the west country, but raises the opportunity for people from Red Deer to also travel to thislocation should we be fully booked in Red Deer,” explained Simpson. “Not only that but Sylvan Lake is a very booming place currently and wethought the needs there would be well met by us opening a facility there - also to have a Red Deer based radiologist drive to Sylvan means it isn’tthat bad of a commute for them.”
On site board certified radiologists are required for a number of medical imaging tests so by having one on site it opens up more opportunity tobroaden the type of exams available at the new location.
Simpson explained CAMIS has had their eye on Sylvan for quite some time now after the need arose for the organization to find an expansionlocation as they are nearing their patient capacity in Red Deer.
“The needs of Central Alberta are always growing and it’s going to be nice for patients in both Sylvan Lake and the west country to not have totravel as far,” she explained. “We have room to expand at our facility in Sylvan which is a good option to have - at this point we don’t know whatthat expansion of services will include but we are happy to know we have the option to do so.”
Currently CAMIS operates their largest facility out of Red Deer offering ultrasounds, bone mineral densitometry, mammography, x-ray, MRI,echocardiography, nuclear medicine and a variety of other services. The organization also operates ultrasound facilities in both Stettler and Olds.The facility in Stettler opens up services to residents of east central Alberta with Olds opening up options to those on the southern end of CentralAlberta. CAMIS hopes the new Sylvan Lake facility will open up services to those in the west.
With the ability to see as many as 28 patients in a day, Simpson added the CAMIS clinic could have the potential to benefit the local serviceindustry also, as many of those patients may stop to eat or shop after their appointments.
Patients to the new CAMIS clinic in Sylvan Lake must receive a referral from their doctor prior to visiting.
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