Wait Times for Routine Ultrasounds High at Blanche River Health’s Kirkland Lake Site
The nation-wide shortage of diagnostic imaging professionals is impacting patients at the Kirkland Lake site of Blanche River Health, announced Jorge VanSlyke, President and CEO, Blanche River Health.
“Patients with more urgent cases are being prioritized as we continue to actively recruit to address this issue,” said VanSlyke. “Despite our best efforts, patients are waiting up to seven months for routine ultrasounds. We understand the impact this is having on the community, and we thank everyone for their patience and understanding.”
The shortage of health human resources in Canada is a topic on which the Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) has sounded the alarm for several years through advocacy work, including in the 2024 Pre-Budget Submission sent to the federal government. The submission outlines the need for more federal investment in health human resources in the coming years and the topic was brought up at length during the CAR’s Day on the Hill meetings with ministers and government officials.
Additionally, the CAR Journal (CARJ) published a study earlier this month titled CT, MRI, and Medical Radiation Technologist Trends in Ontario which surveys existing data for CT and MRI exams in Ontario in comparison with the number of working Medical Radiations Technologists (MRTs) and the total number of examinations performed by each. The study found that over the past two decades, the number of MRI and CT scans Ontario patients underwent nearly tripled, while the number of MRTs in the workplace did not keep pace with the examinations.
“Our recruitment efforts remain a top priority at BRH, and we look forward to shortening wait times as quickly as we can,” added VanSlyke. “But the reality is, the pool of talent in Ontario is not sustaining the growing demand as our population ages and hospitals are struggling to meet the increasing need.”
Blanche River Health is a 74-bed hospital corporation with two sites serving the North Eastern Ontario communities of Englehart (26 beds) and Kirkland Lake (48 beds) as well as residents in surrounding areas.