A Sioux Valley Hospitals and Health System semi-trailer slid off an icy Interstate 90 Friday at 7:30 a.m. between Luverne and Beaver Creek. The driver was treated and released from Luverne Community Hospital. The semi was used as a mobile CT scanning facility that traveled to hospital outlets in the area. Luverne’s hospital used the unit on Fridays and Tuesdays. Appointments in Luverne won’t need to be changed because a replacement unit is ready for use.
Luverne Community Hospital Administrator Jerry Carl said the CT scanner itself is worth about $500,000. All the contents of the trailer will likely have to be replaced for a total cost of nearly $1 million. Carl said the Luverne hospital is in the process of analyzing its use of the mobile unit and is looking into ways of setting up a permanent scanner within the hospital.
Photo by Sara Quam