Wabash General Hospital is making a change to its mobile MRI services in an effort to improve access and stability for patients.
During Monday evening’s board meeting, President and CEO Karissa Turner announced the hospital will transition away from its current shared MRI service agreement and instead bring the mobile unit to Mount Carmel on a more permanent basis.
Turner said the hospital will continue using the same mobile MRI unit, but it will now be parked at Wabash General Hospital full-time under a new agreement for up to 36 months, with the option to end the contract after 24 months.
She said the move is designed to provide greater consistency in MRI services, especially as the hospital continues to expand orthopedic care.
The change will also significantly increase availability. Turner says the hospital expects to add around 100 additional MRI appointment slots per month, with expanded hours that could eventually include six or even seven days a week.
Hospital officials noted the current setup involves travel time between facilities, which limits availability. Having the unit on site full-time will eliminate those delays and allow for more efficient scheduling.
Turner also said the updated agreement includes a software upgrade to the MRI unit and will slightly increase the monthly lease cost.
The transition is expected to take place in mid-April.
Hospital leaders say the move is a key step in improving patient access while preparing for future plans to bring MRI services permanently in-house.