When Dr. Jonathan Patterson decided to open a radiology office, he chose Milton because he found it quaint - an ideal location to build a small, sedate practice where patients could get digital mammographies, bone x-rays or internal images of their entire bodies.
With his eye on a piece of property off Federal Street, he was also enthusiastic to work with other doctors inside Milton Medical Park, fast becoming known as the place to go for quick lab results, pediatric problems and common cold remedies.
So Patterson invested more than $4 million to complement the other specialty practices, and he built a radiology department that includes its own magnetic resonance imaging machine encased in a metal-insulated room.
The building is not an afterthought, he said. It was designed with the patient in mind. Radiology departments are typically located in hospital basements, because of the need to read x-ray film in the dark and store potentially toxic chemicals away from where there could be patient contact, said Patterson.
Ocean Medical Imaging has a more patient-focused, open environment. A coastal theme features porthole windows that welcome natural sunlight. With natural textures, the office features woodlike veneers and cantaloupe-colored wall coverings and an open waiting room where receptionists are not barricaded behind glass.
Patterson also said he wanted entire control of the patients’ experience from day one, whether they face their first cancer diagnoses, mammograms or broken bones.
Patterson said large institutions, such as medical centers and hospitals, can become stark, cold places and are sometimes almost unwelcoming. “They are great for learning medicine but less flexible to patients because of their sheer size,” he said.
Still, he is grateful for his education in local and national hospitals. He was a radiology physician at Bayhealth Medical Center-Milford Memorial Hospital for nearly 13 years, after undergoing a fellowship at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. The Scranton, Pa. native graduated from Georgetown University School of Medicine in the 1990s.
He said his building project required more than 300 workers to construct his healthcare facility. Now he employs nine secretaries, technologists and nurses.
He calls his wife, Kristin, the glue that holds it all together. She plans to help run the administration.
Patterson, who helped to design the building, said one of his favorite aspects is the wrap-around porch. “It’s more homelike. I want our patients to have the ability to see someone as soon as they walk in the waiting room - no waiting beyond 20 minutes. I want patient control from the first phone call to a final report. This way I’ll be a lot happier with the end product: the patient,” Patterson said.
Grand opening set for March 27
Ocean Medical Imaging will host a grand opening, including a ribbon cutting, building tours and reception, at 12:30 p.m., Friday, March 27. The facility is located in Milton Medical Park, 611 Federal St., Suite 4. For more information, call 302-684-5151.
