22 PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY March 16 - 31 , 2018
Thousands more MRI exams to benefit British Columbians
SURREY – To give people faster access to the diagnoses and care they need , Adrian Dix , Minister of Health , has announced that 37,000 more magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI ) exams will be done throughout the province by the end of March 2019 , compared to the previous year .
Under the B . C . Surgical and Diagnostic Strategy , 225,000 MRI exams will be completed in 2018- 19 , up from 188,000 in 2017-18 . To meet these ambitious targets , $ 11 million is being made available in the public health-care system to add resources and capacity .
“ This is a bold step to dramatically increase the number of MRI exams being done in B . C ., and this coming year alone , the increase will be close to 20 %,” said Dix . “ We are delivering on our promise to restore services and find capacity in our public health-care system so that British Columbians don ’ t have to wait months and months for prescribed exams . We know that by rebuilding and expanding capacity in the public system , we will improve access to care and patient outcomes .”
Overall wait times for scheduled MRI exams in British Columbia are long , with 50 % of patients waiting more than 41 days , and 10 % of patients waiting more than 199 days . At the end of 2016-17 , B . C .’ s per capita rate for MRI exams was 37 per 1,000 population , far below the national average of 55.5 .
“ Wait times are simply too long in B . C ., in part due to volumes that are 35 % to 40 % less than other provinces ,” said Dix . “ Increasing MRI exams by 37,000 exams in B . C . this year , with further increases planned for 2019-20 , will reduce the uncertainty and pain caused by long waits . Our plan is to maximize resources and employ best practices in the public system to reduce wait times and improve care .”
Reaching MRI targets will be achieved by :
• operating existing machines longer to accommodate additional exams ;
• establishing centralized intake at a regional level that will reduce duplicate referrals and appointments , and prevent wasted operating time , while also offering patients the earliest appointment available in a region , as appropriate ;
• installing already-planned MRI machines ; and
• adding additional capacity to the public system .
In addition to increasing capacity , the Ministry of Health is working with health authorities to find ways to make sure referrals for MRI are the most appropriate diagnostic choice , and that the quality of exams are consistently high to ensure patient safety , and reduce the need to repeat the exams and take up more valuable time .
MRI is one of the tools used to diagnose a number of medical conditions , including abnormalities of the brain , as well as tumours ,
WWW . PHILIPPINEASIANNEWSTODAY . COM cysts and soft-tissue injuries in other parts of the body . An early diagnosis can lead to early treatment , which can positively affect people ’ s quality of life and return them to being contributing members of their communities and the economy .
In addition to adding MRI capacity , on March 21 , 2018 , Premier John Horgan announced the Province ’ s surgical strategy to complete approximately 9,400 more surgeries within the public healthcare system by the end of March 2019 .
The strategy will improve timely access to surgery through a more-efficient surgical system , and help the province catch up and keep up with demand , starting with hip and knee replacement surgery and dental surgery . It will also improve patients ’ experiences by focusing on improving surgical pathways , coordination of care and information provided to patients . ( Min . of Health communications )
Protect your money with Western Union anti-fraud tips
March is Fraud Prevention Month so it ’ s more important than ever to educate consumers about what they should be aware of when choosing a money transfer provider or making a money transfer .
Here are some remittance management tips from Western Union that you should keep in mind when planning a money transfer :
• Stop and think — if it sounds too good to be true , it probably is .
• Know the person you are sending money to and only send and accept money from people that you have met in person .
• Research money transfer providers and ensure that transactions are able to be tracked .
• When picking a new provider , review news headlines and scan social media for any issues and talk to friends and family to learn more about their experiences with their preferred money transfer providers .
• Review all fine print , and terms and conditions before initiating or accepting a money transfer .
• Contact a consumer protection group about any suspicious phone call , email or social media message from providers or recipients .
Never send money :
• To anyone you haven ’ t met in person
• In advance to obtain a loan or credit card
• For an emergency situation without confirming that it ’ s a real emergency
• From a check in your account until it officially clears —
which can take weeks
• For an employment opportunity
• To pay for taxes or fees on lottery or prize winnings
• For an online purchase
• For anti‐virus protection
• For a deposit or payment on a rental property
• To pay taxes
• For a donation to charity
• For a mystery shopping assignment
• To resolve an immigration matter
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