Memorial Healthcare Foundation Inc

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING - NON-CONSTRUCTION - THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS A ONE-TIME CAPITAL FUNDING REQUEST TO PURCHASE AN ION PULMONARY ROBOTICS DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM. THE ION IS A ROBOTIC-ASSISTED PLATFORM FOR MINIMALLY INVASIVE BIOPSY IN THE LUNG. THE ION COLLECTS LUNG TISSUE SAMPLES FOR BIOPSY IN A SAFE AND SIMPLE MANNER, USING AN ULTRATHIN, ULTRA-MANEUVERABLE CATHETER TO REACH EVEN SMALL LESIONS IN ALL 18 SEGMENTS OF THE LUNG. BETTER DIAGNOSTICS OF LESIONS AND LUNG NODULES LEADS TO FASTER DIAGNOSES OF LUNG CANCER WHICH CAN QUICKEN THE TIME TO GET A PATIENT STARTED ON TREATMENT. WITH THE PREVALENCE OF HIGHER RATES OF SMOKING, BLACK LUNG DISEASE, LUNG CANCER, AND CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISORDER (COPD) IN THIS REGION, EARLY DETECTION OF ANY TYPE OF LUNG NODULE OR LESION IS CRITICAL. THE COMBINATION OF THE ION ALONG WITH THE ALREADY SUCCESSFUL LUNG NODULE PROGRAM AT JOHNSTON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL WILL BRING A NEXT LEVEL OF CARE TO THE PEOPLE OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA. THE ION WILL SERVE APPROXIMATELY 420 PATIENTS PER YEAR WITH ITS IMPROVED BIOPSY SERVICES.