We all know how important quality; affordable portable x-ray systems are for patient health and treatment. In the US, it can easily be taken for granted the availability of portable and mobile x-ray devices since they can be found in all Urgent Care facilities, rehabilitation facilities, nursing homes, sports stadiums, cruise ships, veterinarians and of course hospitals. Unfortunately, not every country has access to the same level of technology and imaging solutions.
That’s where the ISSA Trust Foundation comes in. The ISSA Trust Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 2005 by Couples Resorts Jamaica to advocate for the medical and educational needs of children and families in Jamaica.
The mission of the Foundation is to provide a system of prevention, health promotion and education, community health improvement and other services to promote well-being and development for the people of Jamaica. The organization also focuses on helping the Neonatal and Pediatric services at several hospitals throughout Jamaica.
Recently, a wonderful hospital in Jamaica, Sav-Laa-Mar Hospital in Negril badly needed upgrades to their radiology and imaging systems. Through a partnership between ISSA and Radiology Imaging Solutions, two SR-130 units have been purchased and donated by the ISSA Trust Foundation. One to Annotto Bay Hospital in Annotto Bay, St. mary and one to Savanna La Mar Public General Hospital in Negril. The portable x-ray units are manufactured by Source-Ray, Inc. and are sold by Radiology Imaging Solutions, Inc. for use in hospitals in Jamaica.
In January of 2020, Radiology Imaging Solutions took the first portable x-ray into the neonatal ward at Annotto Bay Hospital and the benefits were almost instantaneous.
A baby boy was born at 27 weeks’ gestation and desperately needed urgent medical care. The doctors at the hospital were able to utilize the SR-130 portable x-ray and were able to perform imaging that aided the boy’s treatment. There was a blood gas analysis done with the new blood gas analyzer donated by ISSA Trust Foundation. The portable x-ray system was used and with the information from these tests it was determined that the baby was viable enough to be transferred to the regional hospital and put on a ventilator. At this time, he is doing well.
Robert Barkema from Radiology Imaging Solutions is on the advisory board for ISSA Trust Foundation and is in charge of bio-med training and service. With the partnership of the Northeast Regional Health Authority, neonatal mortality rates were lowered by 60% at the St. Ann’s Bay Hospital through the neonatal programs.
We are honored to have played a role in the successful diagnosis and treatment of this little boy and to help modernize this hospitals’ imaging department.