http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/local/2009/12/04/12035296-sun.html
I guess BC is really really broke. They try to cut back everywhere they can. Here they choose to cut down 20% of all the 25k MRI performed annually. I don't really get it.
Even from a financial point of view. When you have payed for the purchase of the instrument, the annual cost of the building, the cooling of the magnets the actual action of taking the MRI is more or less free. I mean maybe it cost 100$ to pay the tech and the doctor who read the scan.
On the other hand this technique is absolutely priceless when it comes to diagnostic. How many times did I heard the story of somebody having to pass two to four "cheap" test such as X-ray or Scanner with no clear results before they are finally sent to an MRI to really "see" where the problem is.
As the article suggest it, it might only be a way to increase the delays required to access the really pricey action: going to see a surgeon.
Anyway, what a sad news and a shame for BC. Yeah, I'm so stoked for the Olympics. Please be a couch potatoes and look at downhill skiing and hockey on your big dumb flat screen TV because if you ever crash in real life don t expect us to be able to treat you.
PS: Is it possible in BC to contract an insurance with a private cie to be sure that I could access an MRI and then see a surgeon in less than a month if I crash? Because I am damn interested since I do not trust at all the health insurance system here anymore.