Sonoma Valley Hospital is beefing up local care this spring, bringing gastroenterology in-house with a clinic slated to open in April and endoscopy procedures expected to start in May. The upgrade lands alongside a new 3T MRI and a limited weekend imaging schedule that kicked off last Saturday, giving valley residents more chances to get screenings and diagnostic tests close to home. Hospital leaders say the goal is to keep colonoscopies, mammograms and MRIs in Sonoma Valley instead of routing patients to larger regional centers.
Clinic Timeline And Services
Weekend Imaging And 3T MRI
The hospital has installed a 3T MRI and quietly launched Saturday imaging, with services beginning last weekend and scheduled to run twice a month at first, with an eventual shift to every Saturday, as reported by Sonoma Valley Sun. Weekend offerings currently include mammography, MRI and walk-in X-ray, a lineup that staff say should make preventive testing more workable for residents who cannot easily get time off during the week. Administrators intend to adjust and expand Saturday hours based on patient demand and staffing levels.
CMO Brings GI Chops To The Valley
Okolo brings a deep resume in endoscopy leadership, having previously served as chief of endoscopy at Johns Hopkins and as system chief of gastroenterology at Rochester Regional Health, according to Becker’s Hospital Review. Hospital leaders say his mix of clinical experience and administrative background is central to Sonoma Valley Hospital’s push to rebuild in-town GI capacity and cut down on referrals to out-of-area facilities for more complex procedures…