New diagnostic center will bring Sonoma Hospital ‘into the 21st century”

The infusion is taking effect and the prognosis is good.

Having already raised $15 million through an ongoing capital campaign, Sonoma Valley Hospital is moving ahead with the first phase of its new 20,000 square foot Outpatient Diagnostic Center.

The hospital currently performs 30,000 diagnostic imaging procedures each year. With upgrades, the hospital can increase that number — and its profit margin.

Kelly Mather, hospital president and CEO, says the current facility needs a serious upgrade.

“Diagnostic technology changes quickly, and much of our existing technology is five to 10 years old and housed in a building that was built in 1972, long before imaging became the critical medical tool it is today,” she said.

Now funded, the first phase of the project — a state-or-the-art CT scanner (pictured) — will be in place by the end of 2019, Mather said. “This is especially critical in cardiac evaluation and emergency care.”

Following steps include a new MRI machine, with a move from an outdoor trailer to an inside suite, centralizing all diagnostic services.

The effort to “bring hospital capabilities into the twenty-first century” also strengthens the relationship with hospital partner UCSF. “We envision this will serve as the North Bay diagnostic hub, allowing UCSF patients to come here for diagnostic imaging rather than travel into the city.”

All planning and construction costs, and equipment purchases, are being funded through the capital campaign led by the Sonoma Valley Hospital Foundation.