The West River Health Services Foundation Board of Directors convened on Monday, November 27, 2023, to deliberate on a pivotal decision to advance the acquisition of world-class operating room equipment for the WRHS Surgery Center. The comprehensive project, valued at $250,000, is set to enhance surgical capabilities and elevate the standard of care provided at West River Health Services.

Funding for this transformative initiative has been secured through generous contributions, with the Kinsvater Trust leading with a substantial donation of $227,735 and additional support from various donors to the Surgery Center Fund amounting to $20,129.

Alyson Kornele, CEO of West River Health Services, expressed her enthusiasm for the project, stating “Our dedicated staff and skilled surgeons share a common vision of remaining a regional leader in providing top-quality care. We’re thrilled to enhance our facilities and would like to express gratitude to the Foundation and donors for their invaluable support.”

The installation of the state-of-the-art surgical equipment will be entrusted to Stryker, a renowned company in the field. The equipment includes 4K video routing equipment (monitors and hardware), the entire boom, integration equipment, and lights, as depicted in accompanying photos. This cutting-edge technology is expected to significantly benefit the WRHS staff and patients, meeting the growing demands of the Surgery Center.

Dr. Karen Andres, a General Surgeon at WRHS capable of performing over fifty different surgeries, has witnessed a steady increase in patient visits since joining two years ago. She said, “The entire surgical department is grateful to the Board of Directors and all the generous donors who have made this equipment update possible. The new setup will enable us to perform a greater variety of procedures, such as joint arthroscopy, with the orthopedics team, and will keep more of our patients closer to home for their surgical needs.” Steve Hedstrom, Chairman of the WRHS Foundation Board of Directors, echoed the sentiments of the local community regarding the surgical staff at WRHS. He stated, “Our WRHS Foundation Board of Directors is very proud of our entire surgical staff at WRHS and is glad to be able to support their efforts with this new equipment. We are blessed to have their talent in our small community.”

The West River Health Services Foundation Board remains committed to fostering excellence in healthcare and is confident that this strategic investment will further solidify WRHS’s position as a regional leader in providing exceptional surgical care.