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New Technology at O’Bleness Hospital to Help Sexual Assault Victims
By: Chelsea Sick
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A new photography system at OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital will make it easier for nurses to obtain visual evidence of patients who are victims of sexual assault.
The Cortexflo Machine allows clinicians to take high-definition photographs in a hands-free manner so nurses can focus on the patient while collecting the evidence they need.
“The Cortexflo provides a higher resolution for the photographs – it allows us to zoom in on an area closer so we can see evidence more up close,” said Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President Patient Care Services, Gina Terrell. “There is a foot pedal that controls the camera so while they are doing the exam with their hands they don’t have to have their hands on a camera to take photographs.”
Even though they do all they can to make a patient comfortable and calm, Terrell said the technology should help the patient feel more comfortable in an already awkward situation.
Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn said the Cortexflo system’s more detailed photographs should allow for more effective prosecution of sexual assault suspects.
This is one of the reasons O’Bleness Hospital reached out to the Athens County Prosecutor’s Office to help fund the nearly $18,000 machine. The hospital said they would match the amount of money raised by the community.
“It was an expensive piece of equipment, and they asked us for money,” Blackburn said. “I got an email on Monday; Wednesday I made contact with them; Friday we had raised over $9,000, which was over half the expense.”
The Athens County Bar Association was the lead donor. Blackburn said that was significant because many of its members are defense attorneys. He said that demonstrates their interest in providing justice for the victim of these crimes.