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Although some details remain to be
negotiated, Toshiba Medical Systems is proposing to loan $6.5
million to Comanche County Medical Center, to be used approximately
half for Toshiba imaging equipment, and half for other related and
non-related hospital purposes.
The following information has been
provided by hospital CEO Kevin Storey and Materials Manager Rick
Sanchez, both of whom have been involved in the negotiations and
planning.
Financing details are also not completely
determined. The imaging portion of the load is projected to be
financed at 3.76% interest for five years. The balance is projected
to be at 5.25% for seven years.
Medical imaging equipment planned to be
purchased includes an Atlas 1.5 Tesla 64-slice CT scanner, a
Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine, a nuclear medicine imager, an
ultra sound imager, a radiography and flouroscopy imager and a
mamography imager with a CAD reader.
Each of the components represents the top
of the line, latest technology available from Toshiba.
A new shielded modular building will be
constructed adjacent to the hospital to house the MRI and nuclear
medicine machines.
Several other items included in the
financing are projected to include the remounting of two ambulance
boxes onto new chassis units, bringing all four ambulances to new or
young condition.
The planned purchase of a Meditech
information system and accompanying network restructuring will
improve the hospital's information systems and enable the adoption
of electronic medical records.
The planned purchase of a new orthopedic
operating room table and operating room instrument sterilizer will
upgrade surgical capabilities.
The planned purchase of a PACS digital
medical image archival storage system and the refinancing of
approximately half million of existing, higher interest rate
hospital equipment financing will complete the largest portion of
the deal.
Although the expenditure and financing
are large, costing approximately half the cost of the hospital and
clinic's original construction cost, both hospital administrators
and medical staff believe that they are both necessary and will more
than pay for themselves through generating increased hospital
revenues.
Since the financing is being arranged
entirely through private, non-voter guaranteed sources, voter
approval will not be necessary to proceed, nor will taxpayers
ultimately be obligated for the debt.
Board approval for the hospital
administration to proceed with negotiations and arrangements does
not automatically mean that the transactions will occur. Final
approvals from Toshiba's end of the deal must be obtained as well.
Toshiba officials have indicated,
however, that they envision Comanche County Medical Center being a
showplace for their company's products.
It is said that CCMC's diagnostic
capabilities under the plan will be on a par with virtually any
hospital in the state, and perhaps nation. |
