New scanner better for patients
A new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner installed at Nelson Hospital has improved wait times for patients needing scans, the district health board says.
The installation of the $2.8 million scanner was completed in November as part of a redevelopment of the MRI suite.
Last January, figures from chief executive Peter Bramley’s report to the board showed that 27 per cent of accepted MRI referrals were scanned within six weeks. The Ministry of Health target at the time was 85 per cent, and machine capacity was cited as a ‘‘major roadblock’’.
The hospital’s old MRI machine was jointly owned with Pacific Radiology, and access was shared with Nelson Marlborough Health.
Ministry bosses said last January a new scanner had been purchased for Nelson Hospital in a bid to cope with growing demand.
By this February, 76 per cent of accepted MRI referrals were being scanned within six weeks.
In a report, Bramley said achieving the new target of 90 per cent had ‘‘regrettably’’ been affected by continuous industrial action.
General manager of clinical services Lexie O’Shea said owning the machine outright gave the board greater flexibility and meant it could deliver more scanning.
The machine was faster, produced clearer images, and had the capability to do more specific imaging than the previous scanner, she said.
‘‘The new MRI system has enabled us to significantly reduce the time patients are waiting, and breast imaging patients no longer have to travel to Blenheim. This is great news for our region.’’
Breast scans weren’t able to be done using the old scanner at Nelson Hospital, so patients had to travel to Wairau Hospital.
Installation of the new scanner began in July 2019, with building work completed in mid-November.
The entire suite was redesigned to provide preparation and recovery areas, better visibility for staff, and better changing facilities for patients.
The new MRI machine is wider, with better lighting, which means it is more comfortable for patients, who could be in the scanner for 20 to 90 minutes.