DEMOPOLIS &8212; Recently, Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital has made use of new computed tomography scanning equipment that is a less invasive for the patients.

Mike Marshall, CEO, and administrator, said that in addition to this new technology, which is capable of 3-D imagery, they are in the process of looking into the feasibility of getting equipment to perform a procedure known as venus ablation, which is a laser removal procedure for varicose veins.

Marshall said that the hospital is also still in the process of the changeover of the new oncology doctors.

One new physician that has joined the staff on a part time basis, Marshall said, has been doing very well.

In addition to performing surgeries associated with ear, nose and throats, Muecke will also be offering her expertise in facial plastics.

Other sophisticated procedures being done at the hospital are making use of the new hip and knee arthroplasty table, which enables the surgeon to replace the hip through a single incision.

With the new table purchased to do the procedures, surgeons have had successful results.

In addition to new equipment, Marshall said that the hospital has experienced tremendous growth. According to their financial figures, the hospital has experienced 15 percent increase in admissions, a 111 percent increase n outpatient care and a 20 percent increase in employee hiring.

In spite of growth, however, there are still challenges that every hospital faces. Marshall said that the hospital is unlike other businesses in that if production costs increase, they cannot simply pass this additional money onto the customers.

Above all, Marshall said, he wants the community to realize that the hospital is a resource to them.

In addition to the decreased travel time associated with going to larger hospitals, Marshall said that in general, their procedures cost less than larger hospitals.

One of those services is scheduled to begin this fall. Marshall said they plan to hold Saturday morning clinics to coincide with Friday night football injuries. He said they plan to call them &8220;black and blue clinics&8221; and they should be scheduled at the same time as the first weekend of high school football.