Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) will add a third MRI machine within the next two years to help address a massive backlog of patients in need.
The funding for the third magnetic resonance imaging machine, costing $800,000, was announced by local members of provincial parliament in Barrie Tuesday.
RVH provides 70 per cent of the MRI scans in the Simcoe Muskoka region.
“This funding will help hospitals, like RVH, address the backlog of patients requiring imaging services that accumulated during the pandemic,” says Doug Downey, MPP for Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte.
“Having accessible state-of-the-art healthcare in our community is of vital importance to residents. This funding will also ensure patients can be seen in a timely manner to help best serve their medical needs.”
There are currently more than 7,300 people on the waitlist, 470 of which are cancer-related patients.
RVH, along with partner hospitals in Midland, Collingwood, and Muskoka, are among 27 hospitals in Ontario that have received operational funding for an MRI.
“This commitment to further supporting healthcare in our region ensures patients across Simcoe Muskoka have enhanced access to diagnostic imaging and will relieve pressure on the healthcare system as a whole,” says Gail Hunt, RVH president and CEO.
The new MRI machine will be purchased through funds raised by RVH Foundation, and staff say they hope it will be on-site and operational within the next 24 months.
“Our region will continue to experience rapid population growth over the next decade, putting additional strain on our current resources,” says Dr. Raj Grover, RVH medical director of medical imaging.
“Today’s announcement is exactly what the doctor ordered. A third MRI will allow our Medical Imaging Department to expand services, reduce wait times, and provide optimal timely patient care for the most complex and urgent cases for patients now, and in the future.”
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