Opinion ID: 1272842
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Determination of Available

Text: The issue addressed at trial was whether CCMC had access to an available mobile MRI facility so that a CON for an onsite MRI would not be warranted under the Plan standards. Appellant argues that the finding of the Board that available, in the context of MRI service for a hospital, meant an onsite MRI unit was arbitrary, capricious, and clearly erroneous. We disagree. CCMC presented testimony from Dr. Tricia Etheridge, CCMC's chief of staff, concerning the difficulties of transporting patients to an off-site MRI or other diagnostic facilities. In addition, Dr. Etheridge testified as to her concerns over the adequacy of the technology found in mobile MRI units. Dr. Dean Mesh, a radiologist at CCMC, also testified as to the necessity for an onsite MRI facility to handle patients from the Hospital's emergency room. The president and CEO of CCMC, Eric Deaton, also testified at length concerning the needs for around-the-clock MRI availability, especially in light of CCMC's proximity to I-95. Finally, CCMC presented an expert witness, Mark Richardson, who testified that a MRI facility open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, was in the best interests of CCMC's patients. Accordingly, substantial evidence exists to support the finding that an available MRI facility for CCMC's needs would require an onsite MRI facility that was accessible twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.