Northeast Georgia Medical Center celebrated the opening of the Imaging Center Gainesville on Tuesday, showing off the new, state-of-the-art center that features a spa-like women’s imaging center.

The new center consolidates outpatient imaging services in one location, including a range of advanced, all-digital imaging services.

"One of the goals in designing Imaging Center Gainesville was to be able to offer an array of cutting-edge technology in one convenient location, and I would definitely say that we have accomplished that," said Colby Chastain, MD, medical director of radiology at the medical center and a radiologist with Gainesville Radiology Group PC.

The new Imaging Center also contains a separate area for women’s imaging needs. Funding from The Medical Center Auxiliary’s 2007 and 2008 Marketplace fundraisers to The Medical Center Foundation’s Healthy Journey II campaign made possible a spa-like environment in the women’s imaging area that meets the comprehensive imaging needs of female patients.

To make patients more comfortable, the area includes separate dressing rooms and warm robes, private waiting areas for screening and diagnostic patients having mammograms, and gourmet refreshments including lemon-infused water, sugared fruit and an assortment of coffees and teas.

"Our health system is fortunate to have the tireless support of The Medical Center Auxiliary," said Woody Stewart, chairman of The Medical Center Foundation Board of Trustees. "The spa-like enhancements incorporated into this facility, including the two magnificent lobby water features, the visual imagery walls in the mammography rooms and the other many special touches that personalize care, help alleviate the anxiety of women facing often stressful medical procedures. The Auxiliary’s funding is just one more example of the Auxiliary’s commitment to making Northeast Georgia Health System exceptional."

Imaging Center Gainesville is located in Medical Park 1, a new three-story, 90,000-square-foot building constructed adjacent to and connected to the medical center’s previous Imaging Center, at 1315 Jesse Jewell Parkway in Gainesville.

"As evident by our recent openings of the Women and Children’s Pavilion, Medical Plaza 1 in Braselton and the North Patient Tower, Northeast Georgia Health System is rapidly growing to meet the increasing health care needs of our community," said Carol Burrell, chief operating officer of North Georgia Health System. "We are excited to continue to provide our region with state-of-the-art facilities that meet their health care needs close to home."