FROM STAFF REPORTS

BIRMINGHAM—One of the first major equipment installations has taken place at Grandview Medical Center. Using a 350-ton crane, the new 13,600-pound magnetic resonance imaging machine was lifted over the parking deck connector and placed inside the building.

This is one of three MRIs that will be installed in the Grandview campus, located on U.S. 280. It marks the first in a series of major installations as the hospital prepares to open in the fall.

“This is an exciting milestone as we look forward to moving into our new campus this fall,” Grandview Medical Center and Trinity Medical Center CEO Keith Granger wrote in an April 27 news release. “Our patients who need MRIs will have access to leading technology in a sophisticated and modern hospital that is designed with our patients’ comfort and experience in mind.”

The new MRI features a wide opening, or bore, to add more space than standard MRIs, a table surface with different cushion densities designed to alleviate pressure points and feet-first imaging for all exam types. The design aims to offer more patient comfort, especially for individuals who have concerns about small or enclosed spaces.

Advanced technology in the new MRI gives physicians the tools needed to make accurate diagnoses. This new system offers imaging capability for the most advanced and demanding exams, with high resolution imaging from the top of the head to the soles of the feet.

Trinity Medical Center, located in downtown Birmingham, will locate to the new Grandview Medical Center campus in October 2015. The 1 million square-foot hospital will have 372 beds and 30 operating rooms.