LaBelle hospital adds CT scans, bone density tests to keep patients home

LABELLE, Fla. (WINK)—Hendry Regional Convenient Care Center has added new services, including CT scans and bone density screenings, to help keep patients closer to home.

The new equipment was launched by radiology techs like Parker Johnson. Before the addition, patients had to travel to Lehigh Acres or Fort Myers for these exams.

"The closest facility was in Lehigh or Fort Myers, so they were having to travel a little bit further to get this kind of exam done," Johnson said.

For many patients, especially older people, transportation is a major challenge. Johnson says the new services make care more accessible for people who have issues traveling.

The new DEXA machine helps screen for bone loss conditions like osteoporosis. Staff says the process only takes a few minutes.

CT technologist James Miracle says the new machine also helps streamline patient care across the area. Providers will be able to see the images and receive the report more quickly than by going to another facility.

General surgery physician assistant Elliott White says the bigger goal is keeping people close to home. White gets to take care of a lot of people he's known his whole life, and it's nice to keep them home instead of sending them out of town.

In April, the LaBelle campus saw more than 1,800 patients. Staff says that shows just how important local options are.

"I see patients all the time who are relieved after our visit because they didn't know the services were here, and they find a lot of comfort in that," White said. "Their family no longer has to drive them out of town, and they can just come right up the street."

For some healthcare workers in Hendry County, this is more than a job. It's family.

"Our mission is to excel in quality, compassion, and innovation to make our community healthier," Miracle said.

White grew up in Clewiston. His grandfather, Dr. James D. Forbes, spent decades caring for patients in the community. Now, White is following in those footsteps.

"It brings me a lot of pride," White said. "I treat a lot of the same patients that he treated."

White says after moving away for school, he eventually returned home to raise his family and serve the community he grew up in. Being able to come back and serve those people who sometimes can't see a provider is very beneficial.

At Hendry Regional, stories like that aren't uncommon. Miracle is a third-generation healthcare worker in Hendry County. His grandmother was a nurse, his father once led the ER, and his mother still works there.

"I've gotten patients that will, 'Oh, hey, I remember you 10 years ago,'" Miracle said. "That was, you know, a couple of years back, and 'No, I've only been here for, like, eight years.' They're like, 'No, I remember you had long red hair.' I was like, 'No, that was my father.'"

Laura Munoz grew up in LaBelle and now works as a nurse helping many Spanish-speaking patients feel comfortable. Providing services in their language is the most rewarding thing she can do.

During our WINK Listens event in LaBelle, healthcare workers informed our team about the expanding local services and expressed how integral they are to the community. 

Being in a rural community, having these services so close to patients is a huge benefit.

The location and connection span generations.