University of Minnesota devotes $2M to reduce MRI wait times
A $2 million investment for a third MRI scanner at the University of Minnesota’s Clinics and Surgery Center aims to cut into the typical two- or three-week wait time for patients.
Right now, the center only has MRI machines, according to Minnesota Daily and Charles Dietz, the chair of the University’s department of radiology, said the long wait times are taking a toll on patients.
“One or two weeks probably doesn't make much of a difference for [cancer] patients, but I can tell you emotionally, to not know whether you have cancer … or what the kind of cancer is, if you can’t get a scan within a week, that’s a very scary proposition,” Dietz said.
The system has experienced a 10 percent increase in MRI demands each year, which has forced it to add new machines every few years. Joanne Johnson, a senior clinic manager to the center believes the spike in athletes requiring a scan is partially to blame.
“What we’re finding is patients actually don’t mind [getting an MRI done on] evenings and weekends. What they do mind is waiting two weeksa,” Dietz said.
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Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.