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. 2009 Feb;4(3):76-86.

Management of MRI wait lists in Canada

Derek J Emery  1 , Alan J Forster, Kaveh G Shojania, Stephanie Magnan, Michelle Tubman, Thomas E Feasby
Affiliations

Management of MRI wait lists in Canada

Derek J Emery et al. Healthc Policy. 2009 Feb.

Abstract
in English, French

Excessive wait times for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies are a major problem in the Canadian healthcare system. To determine how requests for MRI studies are managed, the authors performed a survey of public MRI facilities in Canada. Ninety-six per cent had some method to triage MRI requests. However, only 42% had documented guidelines for prioritization, and none employed quality assurance methods to ensure that guidelines were followed. Target timelines for each prioritization category varied widely. Sixteen per cent of centres were not able to meet their target timelines for any prioritization category, and 45% of centres met target times only for some prioritization categories. Strategies for dealing with wait lists primarily involved attempts to increase capacity. No centres attempted to reduce wait times by decreasing inappropriate requests. There appears to be a need to standardize MRI wait list management given the variation in management practices and wait times observed.

Les temps d'attente excessifs pour l'imagerie par résonance magéntique (IRM) constituent un grand problème pour le système de santé canadien. Afin de comprendre comment sont gérées les demandes d'examen par IRM, les auteurs ont mené un sondage auprès des centres d'IRM au Canada. Dans 96 % des centres, il existe une forme de triage des demandes d'IRM. Cependant, seulement 42 % sont munis de lignes directrices documentées pour établir la priorisation, et aucun d'entre eux n'emploie de méthodes d'assurance de la qualité afin d'assurer que les lignes directrices sont suivies. On observe une grande variation entre les calendriers ciblés pour chacune des catégories de priorité. Seize pour cent des centres ne peuvent respecter les temps visés, pour toute catégorie de priorité. Quarante-cinq pour cent des centres respectent les temps visés, uniquement pour certaines catégories de priorité. Les stratégies employées pour régler la question des listes d'attente consistent principalement en des tentatives pour accroître la capacité. Aucun centre n'a tenté de diminuer les temps d'attente en réduisant le nombre de demandes inappropriées. Étant donné les temps d'attente observés et la variation dans les modes de gestion, il semble y avoir un besoin de normaliser la gestion des listes d'attente pour l'IRM.

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Figures

FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 1.
Factors affecting prioritization
FIGURE 2.
FIGURE 2.
Target timelines for scans prioritized as urgent and those prioritized as elective
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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