The Bogan Shire Medical Centre is leading the way in rural medical care, having recently taken possession of a new ultrasound machine equipped with the latest digital Imaging technology. 

With the original ultrasound reaching the end of its contract period, Council decided to update the equipment with money from their plant fund, to keep the service local and to provide safe and up to date technology for those in the community and outlying areas. 

The new machine offers higher quality imaging and a wider availability of imaging services locally and can be used for breast imaging, vascular issues including deep vein thrombosis, liver disease complications such as hepatocellular carcinoma, and intricate muscular ultrasounds.  

While pregnancy and women’s ultrasounds are currently the most requested, paediatric and general imaging are also on the rise.  

The new machine has advanced screening with technology so remarkable it is able to detect such things as heart defects, assisting Obstetric specialists in offering the highest of prenatal care. 

The Bogan Shire Medical Centre is the only practise west of Dubbo to offer an ultrasound service and will be an asset to many patients needing this service. 

Debb Wood, Director of People and Community Services at Bogan Shire Council, is thrilled to see the new equipment in place following the decision by Council last October to obtain the machine.  

“Not only are we able to offer Bogan Shire residents a great variety of timely imaging, but it is also of a much higher quality than what we could achieve with the old machine,” said Mrs. Wood. 

“We are saving our residents from having to travel hundreds of kilometres to access this type of service and we are also able to provide appointments within a day or two. In addition, we can also see acute and emergency cases on the day. Our reports come back either on the day or within 24 hours – it’s a really rapid turnaround. We accept all referrals – even if they aren’t made out to the BSMC."

“We are hoping to also increase the number of patients coming to Nyngan from the wider area – places like Bourke, Brewarrina, Cobar, Tottenham, Warren etc. hopefully helping to save patients from these more western and southern locations the additional time and expense of travel and appointments in larger regional towns,” Mrs Wood said.  

“Elyce Bennet is our highly qualified and very experienced female sonographer who is regularly working with GPs, obstetricians, midwives and other specialists across the region to promote the Nyngan-based service. 

“She’s very passionate about providing the best ultrasound services locally and quickly and at very competitive rates. She helped the technician to set up the ultrasound machine – these types of machines can be customised somewhat for the operator’s personal preferences and needs.” 

New baby imaging technology 

The technology will deliver both improved patient outcomes and increased revenue for the community as people come to town to access the service according to Bogan Shire General Manager Derek Francis.  

“The new machine ensures our community continues to receive the highest quality and safest imaging services available without the need to leave Nyngan and travel hundreds of kilometres to access this service.”