Jerold Phelps Community Hospital began outpatient MRI service on July 11 and has already scanned about 15 patients in a mobile unit parked by its emergency department.
Weekly Saturday appointments aim to spare rural residents long trips for imaging; patients from Shelter Cove previously faced roughly 2-hour drives each way to Eureka.
Heritage Imaging provides the permanent mobile setup, letting SoHum Health avoid roughly $2 million for a comparable trailer-based MRI while working around tight space at its aging hospital.
Reports are delivered within 24 hours, and the hospital says the service can handle most MRI exams except cardiac imaging, adding to its X-ray, CT, ultrasound and 3D mammogram offerings.
The MRI launch also fits SoHum Health's longer-term plan to install in-house equipment at a new $100 million hospital and clinic, with groundbreaking hoped for next year pending permits and funding.