A new MRI facility being built in the vicinity of the former main lobby will feature a state-of-the-art Siemens 1.5 Tesla Magnatom MRI. With high-density resolution, the new MRI will provide comprehensive advanced applications, including the ability to screen for breast cancer and tools for evaluating other oncological conditions. The system has a wide diameter that will give patients a feeling of spaciousness, and it is also short enough in length to allow a person’s head to remain outside of the magnet during an exam. Patients will appreciate faster exam times and greater comfort in the new MRI, which will be quieter than traditional MRI scanners and will have special lighting to foster relaxation. Entrances from outside and inside the hospital will create easier access. The MRI building is expected to be completed by the end of November.
A new main entrance for the hospital is also under construction. When completed early next year, the more than 1,600 people who come to Phelps every day will enter through the centrally located 7,000-square-foot space, which will feature a welcoming lobby, comfortable seating, a coffee bar and an efficient new admitting area.