(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Montana’s U.S. Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester today announced that $200,000 has been set aside for Holy Rosary Healthcare in Miles City as part of the of an upcoming federal spending bill for the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education.
The funding is part of the Labor, Health, Human Services and Education Appropriations Bill, which passed the Senate Appropriations Committee earlier this summer.
Holy Rosary Healthcare plans to use the $200,000 to develop an eastern Montana Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) to help rural hospitals with immediate radiology reading services. The system will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“This project would electronically link healthcare facilities in several vital rural Montana communities with the diagnostic imaging center and onsite radiologist at Holy Rosary in Miles City,” said Greg Nielsen, Holy Rosary Healthcare CEO. “Our intent is to partner with smaller facilities to provide optimal care and keep patients as close to home for their healthcare whenever possible.”
Dr. Brady Banta, radiologist at Holy Rosary Healthcare added, “This is a big step in the right direction in providing x-ray and other diagnostic imaging services to patients in their home facilities when and where it is needed. This is done without requiring a patient transport which is particularly important in an emergency situation. The x-ray or other images are electronically moved from the home facility to our diagnostic imaging center where we can review and interpret the images and help determine the next appropriate course of care.”
“Building systems like this will helps doctors and hospitals treat their patients quicker—especially in places like Eastern Montana,” Baucus said. “I look forward to seeing this new system at work, bridging the long distances between doctors and patients with technology.”
“Having a high-tech immediate radiology reading service for folks in rural Montana will have a huge impact on health in our state,” Tester said. “It will lead to longer lives by improving access to quality health care for folks across Eastern Montana.”
The appropriations bill now goes before the full Senate for approval.