Well being-care professionals in northwestern Ontario say the growth of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) companies within the area can be a recreation changer for sufferers, particularly those that spend hours travelling from distant communities for care.
The Thunder Bay Regional Well being Sciences Centre is the one hospital within the area that gives MRI, a non-invasive medical imaging approach that makes use of magnetic fields and radio waves to take detailed footage of organs and tissues within the physique.
Apart from Thunder Bay, the closest possibility for sufferers within the northwest goes to Winnipeg.
Nonetheless, that may quickly change, with Lake of the Woods District Hospital (LWDH) in Kenora and the Meno Ya Win Well being Centre in Sioux Lookout every getting their first-ever MRI suites.
“Up to now, we might use CT [computed tomography], and that might not be your best option, nevertheless it was higher than sending our sufferers for a number of hours of journey, a number of days of wait, and leading to a diagnostic dilemma that now could be stretched out over every week — which could possibly be solved on the identical day,” mentioned Dr. Neety Panu, lead radiologist on the Meno Ya Win Well being Centre.
“It will convey the power to have the identical diagnostic instruments that everyone has to our sufferers.”
The provincial authorities introduced $7.6 million for the LWDH MRI suite in November. In January, earlier than the election was known as, $8.1 million was introduced for the suite in Sioux Lookout.
“This in flip will assist the sufferers as effectively in Thunder Bay as a result of now their wait occasions will not be as lengthy, proper? So, it is a actually huge, twofold influence the place that is really placing sufferers first,” Panu mentioned.
Serving a big Indigenous inhabitants
MRIs are used to diagnose many well being issues, together with mind accidents, coronary heart illness, and numerous tumours and cancers.
“Something to do together with your muscle tissues, your tendons, your mind, any gentle tissue constructions, it offers much more element than these of an X-ray or CT scan,” mentioned Arianna Kitching, supervisor of diagnostic imaging on the Meno Ya Win Well being Centre.
Dr. Neety Panu is the lead radiologist on the Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Well being Centre. She says having MRI companies on the town may have a big effect for the big Indigenous inhabitants served locally. (Submitted by Dr. Neety Panu)
Sioux Lookout is a health-care hub for 33 surrounding First Nations, 28 of that are distant. Whereas the city itself has a inhabitants of about 5,500 folks, the hospital serves greater than 30,000 sufferers.
“I believe it is in all probability going to be one of many solely MRIs on this nation that might be serving such a big proportion of the Indigenous inhabitants,” Panu mentioned, including the hospital offers translators and culturally-aware menu choices for its Indigenous sufferers.
Past getting faster diagnoses, Panu mentioned, having MRI companies nearer to house will even profit sufferers’ psychological well-being.
“Any time you are offered with a medical conundrum that includes you or your loved ones, fear all the time erupts. So for sufferers, after they have three to 4 days of journey to get to one thing after which have the unknown to attend for the reply, it’s a hyperbolic impact of the concern,” Panu mentioned.
The suite in Sioux Lookout will increase off the hospital’s present diagnostic imaging division and see renovations to about 1,900 sq. ft of house.
The hospital is finalizing its most popular vendor and is trying to put the undertaking to tender this month and have a contract in place by the top of March. The aim is to have the suite up and working by the top of 2026, in accordance with Kitching.
The Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Well being Centre Basis has raised $2.5 million thus far for the scanner and supporting gear.
Bettering well being fairness throughout the area
In Kenora, the place plans are underway to construct a brand-new hospital, there was a recognition that the group could not afford to attend for the brand new facility earlier than getting MRI companies in place, mentioned Cheryl O’Flaherty, president and CEO of LWDH.
“Our hospital is not getting any larger, so every part simply will get smaller. However that is OK. We’re prepared to make sacrifices in workplace house and all types of issues to make room for this MRI, as a result of we see it as being so vital to our hospital,” O’Flaherty mentioned.
A file photograph of Lake of the Woods District Hospital, which serves sufferers in a number of smaller communities and surrounding First Nations. (Marc Doucette/CBC)
Past these from First Nations, O’Flaherty mentioned, residents from Dryden, Purple Lake and Fort Frances additionally come to town for medical companies, which suggests having an MRI suite “will enhance well being fairness for residents of northwestern Ontario.”
“Sufferers are sometimes ready months, as some effectively know, to get that prognosis, and so it will make their prognosis quicker,” O’Flaherty mentioned.
“It’s going to have a optimistic influence on our physicians who’re caring for these sufferers as effectively as a result of they’re usually ready for that take a look at to return again to refer them to the following stage of remedy.”
Like Sioux Lookout, Kenora’s hospital basis will even have to lift cash for the capital medical gear. A launch occasion for the “Past the Scan Marketing campaign” to assist the MRI, mammography and a CT scanner on the hospital is being held Feb. 12.
The hope is to have the Kenora MRI suite prepared by mid-summer.
