We have identified 15 additional sites that will be receiving our recommended solution. The first two that are currently undergoing needs assessments are the UNICAR and INCAN, specialty hospitals in Guatemala.
The Unidad de Cirugia Cardiovascular de Guatemala (UNICAR) is a non-profit hospital which belongs to the national hospital network. It is dedicated to treating heart disease and providing non-invasive and interventional cardiology services, including specialized diagnostic and surgical procedures. This hospital typically has a patient population of 50% pediatric and 50% adult.
About 40-60 X-rays per day are performed at UNICAR. Of these, approximately 20-30 X-rays are taken on outpatients and 90% of X-rays taken per day are chest X-rays, using the fixed X-ray (analog) system currently in place. For inpatients, about 40% use the mobile X-ray system. The hospital is currently unable to keep up with x-ray demands with the analog system, making it difficult to effectively serve their patients. For example, the mobile X-ray is usually used bedside, and the equipment has to stay in the room until the film is processed.
The needs for this hospital include a mobile DR unit as well as a fixed digital system. The mobile unit will bring digital X-ray to the patient, thus increasing efficiency which is very important when diagnosing heart conditions.
The Instituto de Cancerlogia (INCAN) is a private, not-for-profit hospital/institute that specializes in oncology. It is one of only two cancer hospitals in Central America and sees patients from Guatemala City, other regions around Guatemala as well as other Central American countries such as Belize, South Mexico, Honduras, and El Salvador. The hospital is private, but the patients are very poor. The cost of health care for patients, including X-ray, depends on the patient’s ability to pay. It may even be free for some patients depending on the circumstances. On a daily basis, about 50 patients are considered inpatients, and around 250 are seen as outpatients.
INCAN performs approximately 100 X-rays per day but is currently having a difficult time keeping up with the demands with the current analog X-ray system in place that was manufactured around 45 years ago. Common health issues seen at INCAN are cervix, breast, and lung cancer. They perform roughly 170 adult chest X-rays per week to diagnose and analyze lung cancer. Another common use of X-ray at INCAN is for the detection and spread of bone cancer. WHITIA believes this hospital would greatly benefit from our digital solution. It would increase productivity and bring better X-ray services to one of the few cancer hospitals in Central America.
Interested in aiding the funding for one of these projects?