The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust has granted $320,000 to Star Valley Health to purchase state-of-the-art ultrasound equipment as part of a statewide ultrasound initiative across Wyoming.

The initiative includes nearly $13.9 million to help Wyoming hospitals and health centers purchase ultrasound imaging devices and boost sonography and point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) training opportunities across the state.

“Our long-standing relationship with the Helmsley Charitable Trust has blessed the lives of so many in our communities,” says Mike Hunsaker, senior vice president at Star Valley Health. “These grant funds have provided a way to have advanced ultrasound technology at our clinics where patients can be screened and diagnosed close to home.”

“This gift allows our hospital to improve both access and quality of care,” adds Terry Lemon, radiology director.  “The generosity of a grant like this makes a huge difference to our community.”

The equipment includes:

• A new ultrasound machine for Star Valley Health’s Afton clinic to provide Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma (FAST) scans

• A new ultrasound machine for Star Valley Health’s Alpine clinic

• A new ultrasound machine for the Star Valley Health Imaging Center in Evanston.

• Several handheld ultrasounds

Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of structures inside the body. This safe, cost-effective tool supports other clinical information to help providers make timely diagnoses and provide appropriate treatment.

Walter Panzirer, a Trustee for the Helmsley Charitable Trust, said the grants will help improve access to quality medical treatment for all Wyoming residents, whether they live in the heart of Cheyenne or Casper or in a smaller rural community.

“Our hospitals and health centers need to stay current with rapidly advancing technology so they can continue to provide top-notch healthcare close to home,” Panzirer said. “These grants help ensure that facilities across Wyoming have the latest and greatest ultrasound equipment and training.”

About two-thirds (97) of the 143 devices purchased through the $12.3 million in equipment grants are POCUS machines, which are used by providers at the bed or tableside for immediate assessment of a patient to quickly determine a course of action. The grants will also provide 26 general ultrasound systems and 20 cardiovascular ultrasound systems, which aid in imaging of the heart.

The initiative also includes nearly $1.6 million for the University of Wyoming’s Wyoming Point-of-Care Ultrasound Training Initiative, which aims to enhance patient care across the state by both broadening the scope of training in specialty ultrasound and bolstering access to quality POCUS services.