Community & Business
7 November, 2024
New site a turning point for services
A CEREMONIAL turning of the sod at a vacant block on Atherton’s Mabel Street has signalled the start of a new health hub that would increase diversity and quality of service and reduce wait times for patients in Atherton and Mareeba.
Speaking at the new site on Friday, Rural Medical Imaging (RMI) business manager Kieron Norris said they did away with a shovel, and instead, brought out the excavator to mark the special occasion.
“RMI has outgrown our current premises, and this site will be big enough to house a GP medical practice, a pathology practice, and a bigger medical imaging service,” Mr Norris said.
“We have been here for over 15 years and serving Atherton and Mareeba patients for more than 10 years and we have not been able to expand. But with this build, we will be able to employ more technicians and reduce wait times for patients.
“We would continue to maintain our bulk-billing opportunities, and same-day treatment for urgent cases.
“The larger facility will also give us room for an x-ray machine, a CT machine, two ultrasound machines, an OPG machine, a bone mineral density machine facility, and most significantly, an MRI machine,” he said. The MRI was a game changer for the Tablelands as, at about $2 million a piece, they were few and far between.
“It means people in the Tablelands will no longer have to travel to Cairns for treatment.”
Attracting doctors to the new site would also mean RMI could offer a full range of imaging services, including using contrast where needed for CT and MRI and steroid injections using ultrasound.
“We need a doctor on site, and the community could use another practice. There are only three in Atherton, and most aren’t taking new patients. It would be great to get some fresh blood in town to take some new patients,” he said.
“We’ve also been in early talks with pathology services, which would create a great synergy and the facility would essentially become a medical hub.”
Builder Ian Byrnes, who turned the sod, will now start laying the concrete slab.
“Depending on the wet season, the concrete should be laid before Christmas, but it is a complex operation, on a sloped site,” Mr Norris said.
“It would be really nice, again depending on the season, to have the building complete by July or August next year.”
In the meantime, RMI will continue to operate from its current location, Monday to Friday, from 8.30am to 4.30pm.
