1 year MRI wait times in Alberta

20180413 MRI appointment call.JPG

I receive a call saying MRI appointment is for March 2019

- 1 year away. 

 

Cannot straighten leg or bend it near 90 degrees.

 

*Would be 3 weeks post op in US and recovering; being told I have to wait a year now here. 

 

Consider that other people have families, children or their elders to take care of; or may not be in a financial situation that allows a 1 year pause due to pending injury diagnosis - 1 year is unacceptable for MRI wait times.

It can impact their quality of life, #recovery potential & ability to economically contribute or support dependents. 

 

This situation supports unnecessary ACL amputation & ACL reconstruction when diagnosis & #treatment is not achieved within the time frame for natural ACL regrowth  - more explanation to follow.

 

Is MRI magnet time at 100% ?

If so, are we executing Lean Healthcare reducing costs in other areas to free up the available funding to purchase new equipment like so many other hospitals? 

 

For example, Lean has been used to improve hospital utilization, improving patient outcomes while reducing the need to add entire proposed #hospital WINGS.

When properly applied the CEO frees up $$, space & resources which can be redeployed for additional healthcare services (or MRI suites).

 

One way to learn a solution Alberta Health Services

- in the same way emergency wait times are consistently reduced through 3-5 day Rapid Improvement events, MRI wait times are reduced the same way.

 

see how it's done in next post