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Cincinnati VA has more resources to diagnose and treat veterans

The new equipment at Cincinnati's VA Medical Center, costing millions of dollars, is an expansion of the radiology department. The latest CT Scanner features faster imaging and less radiation, and an MRI comes complete with a more powerful magnet. The Interventional Radiology Room uses three dimensional tools.

Medical Center Director Linda Smith spoke at Friday's ribbon cutting. "It's certainly what veterans who come here for care deserve and we were thrilled that we were able to provide both the excellent staff and a beautiful facility to perform the procedures that are done here."

The imaging procedures at the Cincinnati VA number 58,000 since October. Jack Hetrick is the chief executive over nearly every VA facility in Ohio. He was impressed with the new equipment and responded to questions from the media about VA problems nationwide. He says an auditor has already visited the Cincinnati VA.

Hetrick says, "We're just waiting to get the results of the audit. We feel pretty confident they were done fairly and accurately and whatever information that provides us we'll figure out how we can do a better job in the future."

Eventually the Cincinnati VA will be able to treat even more veterans in radiology.  An additional MRI and CT scanner are being ordered.

Ann Thompson has decades of journalism experience in the Greater Cincinnati market and brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her reporting.