Garberville's Mobile MRI Brings Imaging Back Home
Jerold Phelps Community Hospital in Garberville began offering outpatient MRIs with a weekly Saturday service housed in a mobile unit to spare rural patients long drives to Eureka or Willits. About 15 patients have had MRIs since July 11 through a Heritage Imaging partnership to bring imaging closer to home. Long-term plans aim to add MRI capabilities to SoHum Health's new hospital and clinic, a $100 million project expected to break ground next year amid permitting and funding challenges. The hospital’s imaging suite already includes X-ray, CT, ultrasound, and 3D mammograms, and MRIs can be performed with or without contrast (cardiac MRI excluded), with reports delivered within 24 hours; referrals can be faxed or directed to Garberville for earlier appointments.