Illinois center’s MRI ‘Caring Suite’ takes the stress out of exams
A new wider MRI machine at OSF Center for Health in Peoria, Illinois has taken some of the anxiety out of the exam experience, but the center’s new suite is making an even larger impact, according to a recent report by the Journal Star.
A new 1,700 square foot Caring Suite was added on to the Center for Health to house the wider MRI machine. Designed to help patients suffering from anxiety and claustrophobia, the room contains colored lights that are adjustable by the patient and allows them to choose what music is played throughout the exam. Wood detail makes the room feel less like an exam room and a leafy tree against a summer sky is displayed on the ceiling as patients look up to prepare for their MRI.
“In the past they would come in and say, ‘I don’t know if I can do this,’ and we’d say, ‘Well, just come look at the machine and see what you think,’” said Debbie Mullen, an MRI technologist assistant at the Center for Health. “They’d come into the old MRI suite and say, ‘No, I can’t do that.’ Now that we have the Caring Suite, we bring them in here and they say, ‘Yes, I’ll try it.’”
The new MRI machine has also improved the technician’s workflow and produces higher quality images in less time.
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Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.