The Ross Memorial is pleased to announce that the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care has approved the Hospital's application to provide Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) service. The Honourable David Caplan, Minister of Health and Long Term Care accompanied Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MPP Rick Johnson, who made the announcement at RMH on Tuesday afternoon.

"On behalf of the Board of Governors, our physicians, staff and volunteers, our community and most of all, on behalf of our patients, thank you for providing Ross Memorial with this opportunity to expand our diagnostic services and offer the best for our community," said John Fox, Chair of the RMH Board of Governors. "People who live in the City of Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton have simply not had access to MRI services and even when access was available, wait times have often been lengthy. The availability of this MRI locally will have a major impact on the care that we provide."

"I can't emphasize enough how important this technology is," said Brian Payne, President & CEO of the Ross Memorial Hospital. "With better access to MRI services, patients in our area will be diagnosed faster and begin treatment sooner. It's really key to providing the best care possible, and at the Ross Memorial, that means everything."

Residents of the City of Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton County are not currently experiencing adequate access to MRI; the wait times for these tests are higher than provincial targets. This has become such a problem that physicians will seek other diagnostic tests for their patients, in order to have them completed in less time. As a result, there is a significant underutilization of MRI services in the region.

The closest MRI is located in Peterborough, however it is strained to its limits and waits are long. All other MRI scanners in the Central East LHIN are located along the Highway 401 corridor, which poses significant transportation issues for local seniors and for people living in the northern part of the region. 

The Ross Memorial Hospital has been seeking this approval since 2007. By approving the new service, the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care is agreeing to provide base operating funding of $800,000 per year. The cost of the MRI, roughly $2.5 million, must be raised locally.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging uses radio waves and a strong magnetic field to produce 3D detailed digital images helping in the diagnosis and differentiation of diseases or bone and joint abnormalities.

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