Saskatchewan family left with MRI frustrations after hospital delays

It has been a tiring road for one Lashburn, Sask., family as they have been left waiting for an MRI in the province.

“It’s very frustrating and it makes me feel like our health system is failing,” said Pat Blair, as she sat with her husband Doug reflecting on their journey.

Pat was supposed to receive an MRI in March, after injuring her knee in February, but she said due to claustrophobia, she needed sedation.

Her doctor referred her to the Royal University Hospital and told her to be there two hours ahead of their appointment. But after waiting for the doctor, bad news arrived.

“We were told that we couldn’t have the MRI because I could not be sedated there,” Pat said. “We were told that they do not do the adult sedation.”

And thus, they made the trip back home from Saskatoon,  more than two hours’ drive from Lashburn — trip they say thankfully they can afford, but fear others may not.

“There’s a lot of people that cannot afford a trip like that and there’s no compensation for that,” Doug said. “There’s no accountability for these kinds of mistakes. It’s like they don’t care.”

Doug said it took weeks for him to get in touch with staff to figure out a solution. It was only when he contacted his MLA that he got answers from the hospital, saying they received the wrong letter.

“There were so many steps missed,” Doug said. “So many things weren’t done that were supposed to be done. All of this could have been caught if the proper paperwork was sent.”

In a statement from the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), they said they are aware of Pat’s concerns and have been working with the family to address them.

“Even though standardized processes are followed, cases do occur that require follow up with the patient and family members to improve the care experience,” the SHA said.

“Medical imaging booking offices have standard practices for booking appointments. The SHA works closely with staff and clinicians to provide diagnostic services as soon as possible and as close to home as can be arranged.”

Meanwhile, Pat is still waiting for an MRI — a delay she said could leave her with life-altering challenges.

“My knee is going to seize if I don’t get this done,” Pat said. “And if that happens, I could be into some serious issues.”

Pat has now been told to meet with an anesthesiologist prior to rescheduling her MRI, which means she will need to make an extra trip to Saskatoon.

Pat and Doug hope sharing their story prevents these incidents from happening again.

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