Cape Fear Valley Bladen Hospital To Open First Permanent MRI Facility

Bladen County will get its first permanent MRI location at Cape Fear Valley Hospital in Elizabethtown, North Carolina. The ribbon-cutting ceremony is Feb. 28, at 11 a.m.

The new location at 507 Doctor's Dr. will take over the former Phillips Internal Medicine building behind the main hospital. It's a big improvement from the mobile MRI unit that only came by twice a week to serve local patients.

This improvement means quicker access for people needing MRI scans. Speaking to WWAY 3, Bladen Healthcare President Spencer Cummings said, "This MRI machine's new technology also means that a patient's MRI scan can be completed faster. We're so excited to bring this to the community and expand this service.”

The centerpiece of the facility is a state-of-the-art Siemens Magnetom Altea scanner. This machine delivers faster scans and can accommodate patients up to 550 pounds — significantly better than previous models.

This addition solves a major gap in local health care.