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Shands Live Oak
MRI and Radiology Service ExpansionsShands Live Oak offers the area’s only MRI and expanded CT services Suwannee County residents no longer need to travel to Lake City or Gainesville to get an MRI. Shands Live Oak opened its MRI unit July 30, 2007 – the community’s only MRI unit. Scans that once took an hour to complete with the old machine now take 10 minutes. Shands Live Oak’s Radiology Department is now almost completely digital. That means images captured locally can be read locally or transmitted to experts located at facilities across the Shands HealthCare system. Emergency Department Expansion
In January 2007 Shands Live Oak began offering its Emergency Department Fast Track program seven days a week to cut down on patient wait times. The Fast Track program consists of a medical team – which may consist of a physician, registered nurse and clerk – dedicated to treating patients with minor injuries or illnesses. The hospital has been using Fast Track on a limited basis, due to space constraints, for about a year. Shands is expanded the ED to accommodate the growing needs of Suwannee County and surrounding areas. In 2006, Shands Live Oak, a state-designated critical-access hospital, had more than 14,000 patient visits to its Emergency Department. New Intermediate Care UnitThe Shands Live Oak community hospital, designated as a critical-access hospital, opened its new, three-bed Intermediate Care Unit in July 2006. The unit will enable medical staff to provide treatment for patients who need a higher level of care than what is provided in a general medical-surgical unit but not as high as what is offered in a tertiary-care facility - giving patients the option to receive their treatment in their own community, instead of being transferred to another facility. Mohammed Choudhury, MD, will serve as the medical director of the unit. A registered nurse will staff the area 24 hours a day. Related News Releases
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Growth & Expansion at Shands Hospitals & Facilities: | |
In August 2007, Shands Live Oak doubled the size of its Emergency Department to accommodate the growing needs of Suwannee County and surrounding areas. The expanded area houses 12 exam rooms, two nurse stations, a respiratory-therapy suite, expanded visitor waiting-room space, offices and a staff lounge. The 12 beds include two isolations rooms and eight private rooms.