❓ WA Parliament QoN regarding MRI scanner availability, usage, wait times, and future needs in public hospitals. Reveals data on scanner locations, usage, and planned purchases, while acknowledging data gaps in wait times and private referrals.
AnsweredQoN 800Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the availability of MRI scans in Western Australian Public Hospitals and I ask: (a) which public hospitals in Western Australian have MRI scanners; (b) how many hours per week are these MRI scanners used in each public hospital; (c) what are the hours of operation in each public hospital; (d) how many urgent and how many non-urgent patients are currently on the waitlist for an MRI scan; (e) what was the average wait time for urgent and a non-urgent patients for an MRI scan, on 31 May for the following years: (i) 2008; (ii) 2009; (iii) 2010; (iv) 2011; (v) 2012; and (vi) 2013; (f) since June 2012 how many public patients have been referred to private health providers for MRI scans, and what were the reasons for this; (g) for each MRI scan referred to a private health service provider what is the average cost to the Department of Health; (h) how many MRI scanners have been purchased since January 2008 for the Western Australian public health system; (i) what is the projected need for MRI Scanners in Western Australia for the next four years; and (j) does the Department plan to purchase any additional MRI Scanners in Western Australia in the next four years?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
7 August 2013
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
42 days
(a)
Site
Number of scanners
Fremantle Hospital
1
Princess Margaret Hospital for Children
1
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
2
Royal Perth Hospital
2
(b)
Site
Number of Hours used per week (sum of
all scanners)
Fremantle Hospital
65
Princess Margaret Hospital for Children
65
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
120
Royal Perth Hospital
126.5
(c)
Site
Scanner
Hours and days of operation
Fremantle Hospital
Scanner 1
07:00-20:00 Mon-Fri
Princess Margaret Hospital
for Children
Scanner 1
07:00-20:00 Mon-Fri
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
Scanner 1
Scanner 2
06:30-22:00 Mon-Fri
08:30-17:00 Mon-Fri
Royal Perth Hospital
Scanner 1
Scanner 2
07:00-21:00 Mon-Fri
09:00-15:30 Sat
08:00-18:00 Mon-Fri
(d) Not all MRI requests are logged into the Radiology Information System at the time they are received. There is variability in practice between the hospital sites and health services. However, WA Health is working towards achieving common business practices. The issue is additionally complicated by the fact that some sites outsource to private imaging providers whose information systems are not visible and a technical issue with the Agfa RIS/PACS which is being addressed.
(e)(i-vi) This information is not routinely kept. It can vary from week to week based on supply and demand and thus waiting times for non-urgent outpatient scans fluctuate over time. Revision of administrative processes to allow calculation of waiting times is currently in progress.
(f) There is no centrally managed referral system, therefore this cannot be determined. Specialists refer the patient direct to a public or private imaging provider.
(g) There is no 'standard' fee for MRI. The Medicare Scheduled Fee for outpatient MRI is between $336 and $492, while the AMA Fee is >$1,000. The fee charged by private imaging providers to the Department of Health for MRI scans may vary from one arrangement to another but will most often be the Medicare Scheduled Fee or a proportion thereof (eg. 85%). In some cases, there has been a small gap payment.
(h) Three (3) - an additional MRI scanner was purchased for RPH in 2011, SCGH has two existing MRI scanners which were replaced in 2010 and 2011.
(i) There is no agreed figure on how many MRI scanners a population needs. There are currently 28 MRI scanners in WA (6 public and 22 private) serving a population of approximately 2 million people which equates to approximately 78,500 people per scanner.
(j) Funds have been approved to purchase an additional MRI scanner for King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEMH) and replacement MRI scanners for Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) and Royal Perth Hospital (RPH). A further two (2) additional MRI scanners will be in place at Fiona Stanley Hospital when it opens in late 2014.
Site
Number of scanners
Fremantle Hospital
1
Princess Margaret Hospital for Children
1
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
2
Royal Perth Hospital
2
(b)
Site
Number of Hours used per week (sum of
all scanners)
Fremantle Hospital
65
Princess Margaret Hospital for Children
65
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
120
Royal Perth Hospital
126.5
(c)
Site
Scanner
Hours and days of operation
Fremantle Hospital
Scanner 1
07:00-20:00 Mon-Fri
Princess Margaret Hospital
for Children
Scanner 1
07:00-20:00 Mon-Fri
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
Scanner 1
Scanner 2
06:30-22:00 Mon-Fri
08:30-17:00 Mon-Fri
Royal Perth Hospital
Scanner 1
Scanner 2
07:00-21:00 Mon-Fri
09:00-15:30 Sat
08:00-18:00 Mon-Fri
(d) Not all MRI requests are logged into the Radiology Information System at the time they are received. There is variability in practice between the hospital sites and health services. However, WA Health is working towards achieving common business practices. The issue is additionally complicated by the fact that some sites outsource to private imaging providers whose information systems are not visible and a technical issue with the Agfa RIS/PACS which is being addressed.
(e)(i-vi) This information is not routinely kept. It can vary from week to week based on supply and demand and thus waiting times for non-urgent outpatient scans fluctuate over time. Revision of administrative processes to allow calculation of waiting times is currently in progress.
(f) There is no centrally managed referral system, therefore this cannot be determined. Specialists refer the patient direct to a public or private imaging provider.
(g) There is no 'standard' fee for MRI. The Medicare Scheduled Fee for outpatient MRI is between $336 and $492, while the AMA Fee is >$1,000. The fee charged by private imaging providers to the Department of Health for MRI scans may vary from one arrangement to another but will most often be the Medicare Scheduled Fee or a proportion thereof (eg. 85%). In some cases, there has been a small gap payment.
(h) Three (3) - an additional MRI scanner was purchased for RPH in 2011, SCGH has two existing MRI scanners which were replaced in 2010 and 2011.
(i) There is no agreed figure on how many MRI scanners a population needs. There are currently 28 MRI scanners in WA (6 public and 22 private) serving a population of approximately 2 million people which equates to approximately 78,500 people per scanner.
(j) Funds have been approved to purchase an additional MRI scanner for King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEMH) and replacement MRI scanners for Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) and Royal Perth Hospital (RPH). A further two (2) additional MRI scanners will be in place at Fiona Stanley Hospital when it opens in late 2014.
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