Steps being taken to address lengthy MRI wait times: Osborne
In a statement issued by the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association (NLMA), president Dr. Gerard Farrell said, “The long wait times for patients requiring access to MRI is very concerning for physicians in this province.”
According to the Canadian Association of Radiologists, patients should not have to wait more than 60 days for a non-urgent scan, or more than 30 days for a semi-urgent MRI scan. Urgent cases, it said, should be done within a week.
“The NLMA does not track MRI wait times, so we are unaware of how the province is performing when it comes to these benchmarks,” said Farrell.
“But our members have told us that the wait time for a routine MRI scan is between three to eight weeks in Corner Brook and about 15 months in St. John’s.”
The wait times across the province have left patients with worsened outcomes, fear and uncertainty for their future.
STEPS BEING TAKEN
In an interview with Saltwire on Tuesday, March 5, Health Minister Tom Osborne said several steps are being taken to reduce MRI wait times, including increased hours and a sixth machine.
“Health care has struggled in this province and health care has struggled in every province. But we are focused on finding those improvements,” he said.
Osborne said to address these issues, the health authority will run MRI machines every day, up to 15 hours a day.
‘INCREASE BY 20 PER CENT’
He added there are also plans
for a centralized intake program.
“Essentially, it will level the playing field and lower the wait times,” he said.
The addition of a sixth MRI to the new Corner Brook Western Memorial Hospital is set to increase capacity by 20 per cent, he said.
“This is only part of the solution,” Osborne said.
“But having an extra machine and increasing hours of operation should decrease these wait times across the province.”
MORE MACHINES, IF REQUIRED
When asked why the new machine would be placed in Corner Brook, when there is a clear need in St. John’s, Osborne said, “Part of the reason the need is so great in St. John’s is the type of machines that they have in St. John’s.
“If somebody has a large body mass, for example, the machines in St. John’s are better suited to provide those services. By putting the second machine in Corner Brook it will alleviate the wait times.”
Osborne also said that if the wait time is not reduced by the sixth machine, an extra machine in St. John’s could be considered.
“If the recommendation from the health authority is that an additional machine is required, we are prepared to look at that.”
FAMILY DOCTORS
Farrell said another problem is that Newfoundland is the only province in Canada that does not grant family physicians privileges to order MRIS. Restricting family physicians from ordering MRIS adds another barrier for patients, he said.
“This places a further burden on specialists by adding to their waitlists, which affects other patients waiting for their services and adds unnecessary costs to the health-care system,” said Farrell.
However, Osborne said they are considering exploring the possibility of allowing physicians to order MRIS.
“I haven’t yet had discussions with the NLMA, but I have asked the departmental officials to have those discussions internally. But we are prepared to have that discussion with the NLMA to explore what the advantages and the opportunities are,” said Osborne.