The recent agreement by the Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) government to cover Islanders’ MRI scans at a private clinic in Summerside is expected to cost up to $720,000. Health P.E.I. confirmed this figure in a statement to CBC News. This initiative aims to reduce the need for individuals requiring MRI scans to travel to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown.
Previously, the province had an agreement with a private MRI clinic in Moncton which ended on March 31, costing $3.8 million and providing 2,600 MRI appointments for Island patients. Health P.E.I. stated that while there is no current contract with the Moncton facility, they continually assess the health needs of Islanders and will add capacity as necessary to maintain service levels.
MRI scans are crucial for diagnosing conditions like tumors in the body. The first publicly funded MRI scans at the Summerside clinic were anticipated to commence this month. Health P.E.I. and the province view this agreement as a way to reduce wait times for scans, which can be as long as 107 days for semi-urgent cases and 730 days for non-urgent scans. The target wait times are 28 days for semi-urgent, 84 days for non-urgent, and 14 days for urgent cases.
While the agreement was praised for its potential to lower wait times, it also faced criticism. Gord McNeilly, the health critic for the Opposition Liberal Party, expressed skepticism, referring to the partnership as “private creep.” He suggested that funds should be directed towards enhancing access within the public health-care system rather than private clinics. McNeilly questioned the decision to partner with the Moncton clinic, emphasizing the importance of investing in healthcare infrastructure.