Central Otago Health Services Ltd runs Dunstan, and chairman Russell McGeorge said since the scanner became fully operational in early June, the number of ambulance trips to Dunedin had decreased markedly.
''From then until now, the number of ambulance trips is about half what it usually is, and that's definitely because of the scanner.''
He was unwilling to give the total number of trips, saying it varied from month to month, but said the health company had factored the savings from the decrease in trips into its business plan when it was lobbying for a scanner.
''This is a real win-win situation, meaning the number of sick patients being transported to Dunedin has been reduced [and] ambulances in the district are more available for their primary role of attending local emergencies rather than being tied up in transport trips to Dunedin, '' Mr McGeorge said.
It also meant staff were not having to accompany as many trips to Dunedin at all hours and the distances covered by the ambulances had been reduced, which all saved money.
The $1 million scanner was installed at Dunstan in May after a fundraising campaign covering Central Otago.
The issue of where a CT scanner should be sited to serve the Central Otago-Queenstown Lakes area became a contentious one, but the Southern District Health Board decided last year to install two - one at Dunstan and one at Lakes District Hospital in Frankton.
It decided the Dunstan scanner should be installed as soon as possible, to serve the wider area, while the second would be in place within two years.
The equipment was funded by a grant of $955,000 by Central Lakes Trust and $45,000 from the health company, while the scanner suite, which cost $377,000 was financed mainly through donations from the public and various organisations.
The operational costs of the scanner for public patient scans are funded by the health board under a contract with the Central Otago health company.
Costs for private patients are charged to the patients.
Mr McGeorge said 20 to 25 patients were scanned at Dunstan every week, in the three days the CT equipment was used.
A permanent staff member had recently been appointed to operate the equipment, which meant its use would increase to five days a week, starting early next month.
All public-funded CT scan referrals were managed through the same system as before, starting with a referral by a specialist, he said.
Patients who lived in Central Otago and the Queenstown Lakes area were given priority for scans. General practitioners in the area could discuss patients who might need an urgent or emergency scan with one of the doctors at
Dunstan or Lakes District Hospitals. ''We want the local GPs to know they can call for an urgent scan.''
