The Medical Center at Franklin Introduces Significant Upgrades to Diagnostic Services with New MRI

The Medical Center at Franklin announces the addition of Hitachi’s Echelon 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, offering physicians and the community access to the most advanced diagnostic imaging techniques currently available in the healthcare industry.

The Echelon provides broad clinical capabilities to meet the demand of today’s diagnostic imaging professionals. Scan time has been decreased by at least 50 percent, and the opening has been shortened and widened, reducing anxiety in claustrophobic patients. The extremely high image quality allows for increased diagnostic confidence. In addition, it has a friendly, accommodating design that caters to patients and allows 70 percent of all scans to be done feet first. The Echelon is much larger than conventional MRIs, and it accommodates patients up to 500 pounds. “The Medical Center at Franklin is pleased to introduce advances that make the patient the top priority,” said Clara Sumner, Chief Executive Officer of The Medical Center at Franklin. “We value this advanced technology, especially when it supports a more comfortable patient environment.”

The Echelon combines comfort advantages with powerful technology and a lightning-fast workstation computer to make patient exams as smooth as possible. Its imaging power is further boosted by an array of anatomically-specific, optimized receiver coils that allow advanced imaging applications in fields such as vascular, orthopaedic, neurological, and women’s health. MRI is used for all parts of the body and is effective in the clinical evaluation of traumatic injuries, cardiac malformations, tumor detection, eye abnormalities, and many more conditions. Unlike conventional MRIs, the Echelon contains scanning features that compensate for motion, effectively scanning patients who are unable to remain immobile.

The Medical Center at Franklin Announces $4 Million Surgery Expansion

The Medical Center at Franklin announced today plans to expand its facility to enhance surgical services. The $4 million expansion project will encompass 9,400 square feet and include the construction of two operating suites, an endoscopy suite and a six-bed recovery unit.

“Minor surgeries are currently performed at The Medical Center at Franklin, but more complex surgeries that require large equipment are prohibitive due to space limitations,” said Clara Sumner, Chief Executive Officer of The Medical Center at Franklin. “This facility expansion and the addition of another general surgeon to the Medical Staff will enable The Medical Center at Franklin to expand its surgical services and allow residents of Simpson County to stay right here in Franklin for more complex surgeries.”

William Daniel, M.D., general surgeon, will open his practice in the Franklin Medical Pavilion in January 2011. John Korba, M.D., general surgeon with Bluegrass Surgical Associates in Bowling Green, has been practicing in Franklin as part of The Medical Center at Franklin’s Physician Specialty Clinics for 12 years.

The Medical Center at Franklin has asked the Simpson County Fiscal Court to be the issuer of $10 million in tax-exempt bonds to refinance the 2006 bond series used for the 25-bed patient wing expansion and to finance the proposed surgery expansion project. The requested bond issue is non-binding and would not incur any responsibility on the part of taxpayers. The Medical Center at Franklin is solely responsible for the repayment of debt created by the issuance of the tax-exempt bonds.

Construction will begin in December with completion expected in August 2011. The current ambulance entrance for the Emergency Department will relocate to accommodate the expansion. Stengel-Hill Architecture will serve as architect, while Wittenburg Construction based in Louisville will serve as general contractor.

Since Commonwealth Health Corporation acquired the Franklin-Simpson Memorial Hospital in April 2000, over $17 million has been invested in The Medical Center at Franklin. Improvements have included 24/7 physician coverage in the Emergency Department, expansion of its diagnostic imaging services, construction of two medical office buildings and construction of a new 25-bed patient wing.

The Medical Center at Franklin Opens Franklin Medical Pavilion with Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting

The Medical Center at Franklin hosted a Franklin-Simpson Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting today for the grand opening of its Franklin Medical Pavilion expansion. The Pavilion is a 17,633-square-foot, $3.4 million, medical office building connected to the hospital’s 25-bed patient care wing. The top floor houses several of the hospital’s ancillary services including Rehabilitation Services, Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, and a state-of-the-art Laboratory. The ground floor houses three physician suites. Currently, Dr. Robert Wesley and Dr. Karuna Reddy have moved their physician practices to the Franklin Medical Pavilion.

This expansion comes on the heels of a separate $5 million expansion and renovation project completed in December 2007. The project included construction of an all new 25-bed patient care wing and renovation of the previous inpatient area.

“Our campus has undergone a complete transformation in the last few years,” said Clara Sumner, Chief Executive Officer of The Medical Center at Franklin. “The residents of our area deserve the best healthcare, and we’re doing all we can to ensure they have it.”

April 1 also marks a special day in The Medical Center at Franklin’s history. On this day in 2000, Commonwealth Health Corporation, parent company of The Medical Center at Franklin, acquired Franklin-Simpson Memorial Hospital. There was one patient in the hospital that day, but today the hospital remains at capacity much of the year. Since 2000, the hospital has brought many new services to the area and made extensive physical upgrades to the facility.

“We have come a long way in 10 years,” added Sumner. “I feel like this is just the beginning of the great things that are in store for this community. Franklin is thriving, and our expansions are indicative of that growth. With access to leading healthcare services, the community is better positioned to flourish in the future.”