Premier Brian Pallister was in Dauphin this morning for the official opening of the new MRI machine.
“It’s a tremendous boost to the region, the whole region, not just the folks around Dauphin but in the whole Parkland area. And we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that it is going to save people a lot of time and money because travelling to Brandon is not a small investment and it’s tough when people are ill, to begin with, and it’s, and it’s tough on their families too. So this is going to be a real help that way.
The new MRI machine is projected to perform around 3,500 scans per year As patients who would have had scans at other sites are scheduled for MRI appointments in Dauphin, spaces will open up at other sites, reducing waits province-wide.
“It’s the kind of investment that makes good sense. I would say having the community get behind it is helpful. But also we’re looking to spend smarter as a government and not just spend because it’s in a certain area. But spend because it’s a smart thing to do.’
“MRIs are crucial for making important diagnoses and monitoring illnesses,” said Dr. Brock Wright, chief executive officer, Shared Health. “The addition of this equipment in Dauphin will enable Manitobans in this part of the province to access these valuable services much closer to home.”
The new MRI won’t have effects just impacting the Parkland. It’s expected to reduce the number of inter-facility transfers required for patients who would previously have been transferred to another site, such as Brandon or Winnipeg, to receive a diagnostic scan.
“It will also be a help, that frankly the people who need to be tested in Brandon. Because it will help shorten those wait times they’ve been experiencing down there. And I shouldn’t just say Brandon, because I understand some of the patients had to go further afield, as far as Boundary Trails Hospital down between Morden and Winkler. So, with the new federal carbon tax coming on that’s going to add to the bill for gas as it is and it just saves people that extra money that can now stay on their kitchen table instead of having to come off," says Pallister.
“The new MRI machine will significantly improve access to health services for people in the region, particularly for our ageing population,” said Doug Deans, chair, Dauphin Hospital Foundation. “The new MRI unit further strengthens access to health-care services at our hospital, which has developed into a true regional health centre for the Dauphin and Parkland area.”
The addition of the scanner is expected to help decrease the MRI wait times across the province. Since July 2017, average wait times for MRIs have seen a 30 percent improvement, declining to 16 weeks from 24.