Radiology Associates of Ocala, P.A.

Since 1973, the physicians and staff at Radiology Associates of Ocala have been committed to providing their patients with the highest quality imaging services available using state-of-the-art technology...

Since 1973, the physicians and staff at Radiology Associates of Ocala have been committed to providing their patients with the highest quality imaging services available using state-of-the-art technology. Currently, Radiology Associates has five out-patient centers that provide imaging services throughout Marion County including the Medical Imaging Center, Women’s Imaging Center, TimberRidge Imaging Center, and the Center for Vascular Health.

As a patient, you have choices. You have a choice which doctor you prefer, which hospital you visit, and who performs your imaging services. The latter choice should be clear. Every physician associated with Radiology Associates is board certified and the majority have continued their education and taken the extra steps to become further certified in one particular area such as breast or vascular imaging, providing the patients with specialized care.

“Radiology is a very broad field,” Dr. Mark Yap, President of Radiology Associates says. “The initial training is very comprehensive and general. But unlike other offices in town, we have fellowship training in all sub-specialties of radiology. If there’s a question about something that’s slightly peculiar with an image, we have our fellow physicians who specialize in that area to consult with.”

Going Digital

This behind-the-scenes correspondence between the doctors is seamless and invisible to the patients. And it’s done with the assistance of the Picture Archival Communication System (PACS). With this system, images are viewed digitally on a computer screen. No more waiting for film to develop. With these efficient and detailed capabilities, test results are available immediately, aiding in an expedited diagnosis.

“PACS allows us to view any x-ray data at any site we work at in real time,” says Dr. Yap, who specializes in vascular and interventional radiology. “I can consult with my partners who are stationed at other locations about your case and we can both view your images simultaneously.”

And the doctors at Radiology Associates were instrumental in integrating the PACS system into the local hospitals. The 16 physicians from Radiology Associates are the exclusive providers at Munroe Regional Medical Center, Ocala Regional Medical Center, and West Marion Community Hospital, providing a level of continuity for those who choose Radiology Associates as their first stop.

“Four years ago we talked to both hospitals about getting the same PACS system,” Dr. Yap says. “Rather than the hospitals being competitive, they needed to be cooperative when it came to the imaging system they used. Having the same system from one location to the next allows us to care for our patients at a very high, very complete level.”

Furthermore, the physicians at Radiology Associates have that technology available at their fingertips no matter what hospital or office at which they’re located, unlike many other radiology offices.

The PACS system utilizes fiber optic cables and a series of multiple hard drives.

“We have two complete systems at two different locations,” Dr. Yap says. “If there was ever an instance where one system failed, all of the data will still be available on the second system.”

Location, Location, Location

Radiology Associates of Ocala has five affiliated offices throughout Marion County to completely serve its patients’ needs.

“The Women’s Imaging Center is Marion County’s first imaging site dedicated to women’s needs,” Dr. Yap says. “First and foremost, we focus on breast cancer. It’s one thing to be aware of a problem, but it’s different to raise the level of concern and make it a priority. That’s what we did when creating the Women’s Imaging Center.”

Besides routine mammograms, the center’s staff also performs a variety of other services including ultrasound, breast biopsy, DEXA (for osteoporosis detection), and one of the newest techniques in breast imaging, breast MRI. When used in conjunction with conventional x-ray mammography, a breast MRI can provide valuable information for the detection and characterization of various breast diseases. Radiology Associates is the only group offering breast MRI.

The staff at the Women’s Imaging Center cares for their patients from the moment a potential problem is detected, right through the biopsy procedure, and all is done on-site.

Radiology Associates is also the only radiology specialty group in the area to offer PET or Positron Emission Tomography imaging. PET is a non-invasive, diagnostic imaging technique used to measure changes that occur at the cellular level.

“PET techniques can assist us with finding otherwise invisible cancers in the body,” Dr. Yap says. “Cancer begins as one cell. At some point, it will be large enough to be seen by an MRI or a CT Scan. PET scans are more sensitive. It doesn’t look for a volume of tissue; instead it looks for metabolic activity within the tissue. PET scans help us to detect and treat cancers earlier.”

Another affiliate office with Radiology Associates is the Center for Vascular Health. This center offers physicians the option of providing their vascular patients with the full spectrum of care, from initial evaluation to scheduling, admission, and performance of invasive and non-invasive procedures relating to arteries and veins. The Center for Vascular Health also offers a wide range of aesthetic vein treatments including sclerotherapy (treatment of spider and varicose veins) and ambulatory phlebectomy (vein removal). The center is also the only one in the area to offer patients endovenous laser ablation (a non-invasive, laser treatment to reduce unsightly and often painful varicose veins).

TimberRidge Imaging Center was opened in 1994, onsite at the MRMC TimberRidge facility. This center offers open MRI, ultrasound, DEXA, x-ray, CT (cat scan), mammography, and fluoroscopy studies. Comprehensive imaging studies are also available at the Medical Imaging Center off of the Magnolia Extension.

Radiology Associates' newest location is the Medical Imaging Center at Windsor Oaks. The comfortable atmosphere and convenient location of this facility has been a great resource to Marion County’s medical community. The center is equipped with x-ray, MRI, non-invasive MR angiography, CT (cat scan), non-invasive CT angiography, and nuclear medicine (bone scans and thyroid scans).

Each of Radiology Associates five locations are staffed with physicians and technologists who have a great desire to serve the public. All have the latest technology in the PACS system. And all are staffed with doctors who have completed additional training in sub-specialties. The choice is clear.

“It’s not that a patient can’t get imaging services at other locations in the county,” Dr. Yap says. “It’s the level of service they’ll get at Radiology Associates that sets us apart. We provide our patients with the most comprehensive and integrated medical imaging care, utilizing the highest quality state-of-the-art equipment available.”

Radiology Associates of Ocala, P.A.
Central Scheduling
(352) 671-4300
www.raocala.com

AREA LOCATIONS: Medical Imaging Center
1490 SE Magnolia Extension

Medical Imaging Center at Windsor Oaks
1901 SE 18th Ave. Building 200A

Women’s Imaging Center
1901 SE 18th Ave., Building 200

TimberRidge Imaging Center at MRMC Emergency Center
9521 SW Hwy. 200

Center for Vascular Health
1901 SE 18th Ave. Building 200A