Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center Installs Most Advanced Medical Imaging System Available

Idaho's Only 640 Slice Scanner

Boise, Idaho – As a testament to the Saint Alphonsus commitment to improve patient care while reducing healthcare costs, Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center announces the arrival of the Toshiba AquilionTM ONE dynamic volume CT system, a 640 Slice scanner considered the best in the healthcare industry. The AquilionTM ONE’s single, comprehensive exam can provide physicians with data to replace a variety of duplicative tests and invasive procedures.

As the only dynamic volume CT system in the world, the AquilionTM ONE ‘s ability to image an entire organ and show function means faster, more accurate diagnosis, better patient outcomes and ultimately lower healthcare costs.

"Since installing the new Aquilion ONE I have seen striking reductions in patient radiation doses without any loss of image quality,” said Saint Alphonsus Radiologist Curtis Coulam MD. “With our current scanning protocols we are routinely observing dose reductions between 25 and 50 percent. It is not unusual to even achieve up to 70% dose reduction. I am thrilled!"

The Aquilion ONE provides a uniquely comprehensive exam that dramatically reduces diagnosis time from hours and days to just mere minutes for patients experiencing stroke, serious heart conditions and other life-threatening diseases. For our patients, detecting and treating disease at its earliest stages can significantly improve their quality of life and help lower overall healthcare costs.

“Toshiba designed the Aquilion ONE for today’s healthcare environment,” said Joseph Cooper, director, CT Business Unit, Toshiba. “By replacing several tests with this single exam, the Aquilion ONE will allow physicians to treat at-risk patients immediately – saving resources and time for both healthcare facilities and patients.”

The AquilionTM ONE, the world’s first dynamic volume CT, utilizes 320 ultra-high resolution detector rows to image an entire organ in a single gantry rotation and shows dynamic function like blood flow. The Aquilion CT product line has received numerous accolades including the number one ranking in CT from MD Buyline since 2002 (eight consecutive years). The Aquilion 64 line has also been named Best in KLAS in 2006 and 2007 in CT; Best in KLAS in 2008, 2009 and 2010 for 64-detector row and above; and Frost & Sullivan’s “Healthcare Innovation Award in Cardiovascular Imaging” in 2008.

(For more information about KLAS, visit www.KLASresearch.com.) Most recently, Toshiba’s service was ranked number one in 26 out of 40 attributes in the IMV, Ltd. ServiceTrak™ Imaging 2010 report on CT system service.

MEDIA NOTE: To schedule a one-on-one tour of the 640 Slice Scanner at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center contact Elizabeth C. Duncan (208) 367-8121

About Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center

Saint Alphonsus is a 387-licensed bed regional medical center serving people throughout the Northwest. As a not-for-profit medical center, Saint Alphonsus reinvests profits back into the community and works to improve the health and well-being of those we serve by emphasizing care that is patient-centered, innovative and community based. Saint Alphonsus focuses on providing services in a spiritual, healing environment, and is renowned for its state-of-the-art digital environment and pioneering technologies; award-winning clinical services; and the region’s only Level II Trauma Center. Saint Alphonsus is part of Saint Alphonsus Health System, a four-hospital, 714-bed integrated healthcare system serving the full range of the health and wellness needs of the people in southwestern Idaho, eastern Oregon and northern Nevada. Saint Alphonsus Health System is a member of Trinity Health.

For information about Saint Alphonsus visit www.saintalphonsus.org.