Mount Nittany Health hosted a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the completion of the second phase of their Diagnostic Pavilion renovations in the Mount Nittany Medical Center on April 3, 2024.
Renovations have been underway for several years, and the completed Diagnostic Pavilion will deliver an exceptional patient experience, foster an improved staff environment, and enable the utilization of state-of-the-art diagnostic technology to better serve our community.
According to Kathleen Rhine, President and CEO, Mount Nittany Health, “Each phase of the renovations is crucial to the care and comfort of our patients, but this one is very special because it provides a tranquil waiting area for our patients to relax before their imaging procedure. The welcoming, open space is an important part of improving our patient experience. This is a highly visible expression of our commitment to patients—and our care team.”
The phase two renovations include a new patient waiting room with registration and radiology clerical area; ultrasound department; digital specials X-ray room for interventional radiology; digital X-ray room; technologist’s workroom and office; updated corridors and a renovated nuclear medicine department.
Operating around the clock, seven days a week, the imaging department at the Medical Center conducts nearly 160,000 imaging studies annually, including 40,000 CT scans, 10,000 MRIs, 18,000 ultrasounds, and 20,000 mammograms. With the growing retiree population, these numbers are projected to rise.
“As the largest imaging center in Centre County, we want to make sure we providing high-quality and compassionate care to our patients,” said Dr. Jacob Alexander, Imaging Services. “The new equipment and renovations will allow us to continually provide great services that our patients have come to rely on each and every day. Our volumes continue to increase across the board in Imaging Services, and these improvements will help us to meet the growing needs of the community.”
The entire Diagnostic Pavilion renovation project consists of four phases in total. Phase 3 will start soon and will include a new 3.0T MRI, a total upgraded 1.5T MRI, a new digital x-ray room, new RN space, a new staff support area with dressing rooms, locker rooms and lounge and new offices. Three years of planning went into the project and Stantec is the architect for the renovations.
“I want to thank the staff who continued to provide care to our patients while navigating the renovations,” said Rhine. “Renovation projects are always difficult, but when you’re a 24/7 operation, with people anxiously waiting on their scan results, it takes an extraordinary level of organization, patience and teamwork to get the job done.”
The new Diagnostic Pavilion is another example of Mount Nittany Health’s commitment to our mission of “Healthier people, stronger community.” More information about the project will be available at mountnittany.org/investing-in-excellence.