Manitoba invests in new diagnostic tools to improve closer to home access to care

#Manitoba; #NewDiagnosticTool; #ImproveAccessToCare

Manitoba, Jun 23 (Canadian-Media): Cameron Friesen, Manitoba's Minister of Health, Seniors and Active Living announced June 23 that Manitoba government has invested in new diagnostic equipment to be installed at sites throughout the province to enhance availability of care at health-care facilities across the province, media reports said.

Cameron Friesen. Image credit: Official website

“Improving patient access and quality of care is largely dependent on being able to quickly determine what care is required and where it can best be delivered,” said Friesen in today's news release. “Investing in diagnostic equipment for facilities throughout the province not only ensures Manitobans are able to access specialized services and care when they need it, in many cases it will allow them to seek that care closer to home.”

This investment supports new or replacement equipment at sites both within and outside Winnipeg. Six pieces of diagnostic equipment in total have been approved and will be tendered in the near future or are already in the process of being installed. They include: a linear accelerator for radiation treatment at CancerCare Manitoba, a general duty X-ray machine and a liquid chromatography system at HSC Winnipeg, CT scanners at Brandon Regional Health Centre and Victoria General Hospital, and a new interventional radiology unit at St. Boniface Hospital.

The total investment in these projects is subject to the tendering process, the minister said.

An additionally investment of approximately $720,000 has been made by the Manitoba government to purchase and install two general duty X-ray machines at the Bethesda Regional Health Centre in Steinbach and the Altona Community Memorial Health Centre. Both pieces of equipment are now operational.

 “Investments in this vital equipment will ensure we continue to meet the needs of Manitoba’s growing and aging population,” said Petr Kresta, chief operating officer of diagnostic services, Shared Health in today's news release.

Diagnostic services in the province of Manitoba has significantly improved since 2016 including the recent launch of echocardiography services at the Selkirk Regional Health Centre, addition of MRI services in Selkirk and at the Dauphin Regional Health Centre to handle increasing patient volumes.

“Our government has responded to the growing demands of an aging population with increasing health-care needs by expanding diagnostic services and bringing them closer to home,” said Friesen.  “These new pieces of clinical equipment are aligned with Manitoba’s Clinical and Preventive Services Plan and will ensure more patients get the care they need, when they need it.”