Pictured above: (l-r) Lance Jacobson, Swan River Mayor, Karen Beheyt, PMH Manager Rural Diagnostic Services, Duane Whyte, co-chair Swan Valley Medical Services/Recruitment Committee, Alaynah Hohne and Kali Sauder, Shared Health Diagnostic Imaging Technicians, Treena Slate, PMH CEO and Mohammed Bhabha, Executive Director of Diagnostic Imaging for Shared Health.

Prairie Mountain Health Media Release |

Health officials, partners, stakeholders and staff gathered outside the Swan Valley Health Centre in Swan River July 31, 2024 to formally acknowledge enhancements to diagnostic imaging services in the Prairie Mountain Health region with the recent addition of a new CT Scanner in the hospital. Shared Health and Prairie Mountain Health both sincerely thanked and congratulated local municipal and community leaders for their hard work and generous contribution of $1-million towards the capital investment, which came in at over $2-million.

“We know this service is already making a difference in our region, stated Treena Slate, PMH CEO. “Having this service in Swan River will alleviate hardships on patients and families who no longer have to travel or be transported by ambulance and can now have their CT scan closer to home.”

Slate took the opportunity to once again thank the representatives of the local municipalities and community leaders that got behind the project from the start.

“From my heart, I want to sincerely thank you for your dedication, perseverance and patience as all the necessary details were worked out provincially.”

Swan Valley Medical Services/Recruitment representative Duane Whyte and Swan River Mayor Lance Jacobson, Chair of the Swan Valley Health Facilities Foundation, reiterated that having the new scanner operating in the northern part of the health region is already having benefits not only locally but regionally and provincially. They indicated the new diagnostic equipment further strengthens overall services that are offered at the health centre and will also assist in future health care staffing recruitment efforts.

Mohammed Bhabha, Executive Director of Diagnostic Imaging for Shared Health, led off the proceedings by extolling the benefits of having the CT Scanner in Swan River.

“Until two months ago, residents in Swan Valley who needed this type of diagnostic scan would need to leave the community to get it, with the next closest CT scanner being nearly two hours away in Dauphin. Some patients would have to travel even further, to Brandon and Winnipeg, to get the care they need. This now reduces pressures on emergency response services who often transport these patients, keeping ambulances in this area and available to respond to other calls. And it will open up appointments in other communities, which will allow more people to get the care they need sooner and closer to home.”

The CT scanner was installed within the Swan Valley Health Centre in May. The new diagnostic equipment went into operation in mid-June and is expected to service a population area of approximately 14,000. Two X-ray technologists received training to operate the scanner. For more on that health care training journey, read the related Shared Health article.