BC’s Health Ministry is continuing to push for faster access to medical care with its most recent announcement of 37,000 more magnetic resonance imaging exams (MRIs) province-wide by the end of March 2019.
Northern Health is expected to see the highest increase, moving up 70.3% from 7,632 exams to an estimated 13,000.
Half of people within the authority get their exams in 56 days or less, the second longest wait in the province, while nine out of 10 people get theirs in 319 days or less.
“Wait times are simply too long in BC, in part due to volumes that are 35% to 40% less than other provinces,” says Health Minister Adrian Dix in a statement.
“Increasing MRI exams by 37,000 exams in BC this year, with further increases planned for 2019-20, will reduce the uncertainty and pain caused by long waits. Our plan is to maximize resources and employ best practices in the public system to reduce wait times and improve care.”
According to the Ministry of Health, 50% of patients in BC wait more than 41 days, and 10% wait more than 199 days, to receive an MRI exam.
“This is a bold step to dramatically increase the number of MRI exams being done in BC, and this coming year alone, the increase will be close to 20%. We are delivering on our promise to restore services and find capacity in our public health-care system so that British Columbians don’t have to wait months and months for prescribed exams. We know that by rebuilding and expanding capacity in the public system, we will improve access to care and patient outcomes.”
Under the BC Surgical and Diagnostic Strategy, 2018-19 will see 225,000 MRI exams compared to just 188,000 in 2017-18.