It may be the best-kept “secret” in North Stafford. Although many people in the region have not yet heard of Medical Imaging of North Stafford, the facility expects to treat nearly 15,000 patients in 2012.
“I don’t know how many times we have spoken with patients and referring physicians who are surprised to learn that the imaging center exists,” says Ed Swager, CEO of Radiologic Associates of Fredericksburg (RAF).
RAF partnered with Mary Washington Healthcare to open Medical Imaging of North Stafford in September 2007. Since then, the facility has added increasingly sophisticated imaging services, expanded its hours, and scored high in patient satisfaction surveys.
George T. Sofis, MD, a North Stafford resident and RAF diagnostic radiologist serving the facility, believes it is also underutilized because of the misperception that advanced medical care is available only in metropolitan areas such as Washington, DC.
“Our physicians are board certified, and fellowship trained at excellent programs including Harvard and the University of Virginia,” notes Dr. Sofis, who received his fellowship training in musculoskeletal radiology at Duke University. “Medical Imaging of Stafford also has state-of-the-art imaging equipment. This is a great resource for area residents.”
The following are just a few facts about Medical Imaging of North Stafford.
Commuter hours – The facility opens early in the morning, closes late at 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, and sees patients 7 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. Swager says Medical Imaging of Stafford is considering extending late closings to five days a week, given that roughly half of its patients commute to work in Northern Virginia and Washington, DC. Dr. Sofis adds that same-day appointments are often available at the facility.
Crossroads location – Medical Imaging of North Stafford is located at 125 Woodstream Boulevard, Suite 109, Stafford, VA 22556. The location is close to Garrisonville Road (VA-610), a major east-west corridor in the area, as well as Interstate 95 and US 1.
Advanced tests – The facility offers comprehensive imaging services including diagnostic X-ray, new 3D/4D ultrasound, multi-slice computed tomography (CT), and 1.5 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
High ratings – Medical Imaging of North Stafford scores in the 99th percentile in patient satisfaction surveys when compared with facilities of similar size in the US, Swager notes. He attributes the high ratings to the professionalism and caring of the facility’s staff.
24/7 coverage –Even after hours,referring physicians can speak with a qualified RAF radiologist or communicate online about patient reports because Medical Imaging of North Stafford is connected with RAF’s on-site radiologists at Mary Washington Hospital.
Professional supervision –In addition to interpreting medical imaging studies, RAF’s board-certified radiologists supervise services and training at Medical Imaging of Stafford. They evaluate treatment options to determine the best test for each study and follow Image Gently™ and Image Wisely™ protocols to ensure that the lowest effective dose is used in patient imaging, Swager explains.
Complementary relationships – Medical Imaging of North Stafford is one of four facilities that are part of Medical Imaging of Fredericksburg; the other centers are Medical Imaging of Fredericksburg on the Mary Washington Hospital campus, the Imaging Center for Women, and Medical Imaging at Lee’s Hill. These relationships enable easy comparison with prior imaging studies that may have been performed at any of the sister facilities, Mary Washington Hospital, or Stafford Hospital.
For more information about Medical Imaging of North Stafford, visit http://rafimaging.wpengine.com/locations/ or www.mifimaging.com.