Gift enables purchase of special ultrasound equipment at hospital

Burlington, Wis. — Our Hope of Burlington, Inc announced a donation of $40,000 to Aurora Memorial Hospital of Burlington to fund a Sonosite Ultrasound Machine. Funds were raised through the 2010 Annual Hope Walk, which took place on June 18-19, 2010.

The Sonosite Ultrasound Machine allows for faster diagnosis and decision making in emergency situations. The Sonosite Ultrasound cuts the diagnostic period down to 90 seconds from what can be as long as six hours, providing critical information for physicians and the care team within moments.

“The value is immeasurable when time is critical, and we appreciate the generosity of Our Hope of Burlington to bring this important medical technology to our community,” says Kelly Robinson, MD, medical director of the emergency department at Aurora Memorial Hospital of Burlington.

Examples of emergencies that can be addressed as a result of funding from Our Hope of Burlington include:

• Older patients seeking help for abdominal pain – Abdominal pain for senior patients could be indicative of an aortic disorder or a developing heart attack where immediate intervention is critical. Quick diagnosis can save lives.
• Traumatic injuries – Internal bleeding from trauma may be identified with abdominal ultrasound technology.
• First trimester pregnant women – In first trimester pregnancies, the embryo is too small to feel. The expecting mother with an ectopic or tubal pregnancy requires
• Immediate intervention – The ultrasound image supports both early detection and diagnosis of the source of severe abdominal pain.
• Chronic Patients – Many patients who have chronic medical conditions have veins that are scarred or difficult to access and the use of ultrasound is not only potentially life-saving, but can improve the care a patient receives by reducing the number of IV sticks and increasing patient comfort.

“We are delighted to support our local hospital with this gift. Aurora Memorial Hospital of Burlington makes a difference in so many lives and we recognize that our gift helps to add important resources that improve the hospital’s ability to meet the growing needs of Burlington residents,” says Judy Bratz from Our Hope of Burlington.

Mark Philips, MD, an attending physician at Aurora Memorial Hospital of Burlington, has firsthand knowledge about the importance of having a Sonosite Ultrasound Machine available in the Emergency Department.

“I had a very sick older gentleman with abdominal pain come into the ED. Despite having been here for less than 30 minutes he survived thanks to our ultrasound machine,” says Dr. Philips.

For more information about Aurora Memorial Hospital of Burlington and Sonosite Ultrasound Machines, contact Myrle Croasdale, (414) 299-1691. To find out more about Our Hope of Burlington, Inc. please visit www.ourhopewalk.org.

Aurora Health Care is a not-for-profit health care provider and a nationally recognized leader in efforts to improve health care quality. Aurora offers services at sites in more than 90 communities throughout eastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.

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Contact: Myrle Croasdale
Phone: 414-299-1691

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