New Medical Equipment to Improve Health Care

Health Minister Jamie Muir was in Sydney today to announce funding for new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment for the Cape Breton District Health Authority. The funding is part of the remaining $15 million of the federal contribution to Nova Scotia for new and replacement medical equipment.

"The new MRI in Sydney will reduce the need for people in Cape Breton to make the long trip to Halifax for this important diagnostic service," said Mr. Muir. "It will also improve access to MRIs for people across the province."

The new imaging equipment in Sydney will be a significant benefit for the many Cape Bretoners who need this type of testing.

"With the addition of various services and programs, we treat 55 people a day here on the island who, in the past, travelled to Halifax for treatment or diagnostic testing," said John Malcom, CEO of the district health authority. "Once the MRI unit is up and running, we will be treating an additional 10 Cape Bretoners a day, closer to home."

The cost of the new equipment and related renovations totals $3.18 million. The province, through the equipment funding, is providing $2.3 million towards the purchase. As part of today's announcement, the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation officially launched its capital campaign to raise the $875,000 needed to meet the renovation cost and $190,000 towards the cost of the equipment.

Replacing aging diagnostic equipment accounts for a large portion of the $15 million.

Purchasing replacement equipment will allow diagnostic tests to be completed more quickly and efficiently, ultimately reducing stress and long wait times for patients. Other new equipment being purchased to replace out-dated equipment across Nova Scotia includes CAT scan equipment for Yarmouth Regional Hospital and the QEII Health Sciences Centre, new ventilators and a new mammography unit for the Valley Regional Hospital and new x-ray equipment for Inverness Consolidated Memorial Hospital.

"Today we are announcing about 30 new pieces of much-needed medical equipment to benefit people right across the province," said Mr. Muir. "The list of new equipment was based on priorities and information we received from the districts. It is another good example of government working together with communities to meet the diverse health-care needs of Nova Scotians."

Factors such as how many people will benefit from the new equipment, current wait lists and the number of procedures per year were considered when the decisions were being made.

The new equipment will be paid for from the $30 million Nova Scotia received from the federal government's program to assist provinces and territories with the purchase of new or replacement medical equipment.

In February 2001, Mr. Muir announced the allocation of the first $15 million for new medical equipment. A portion of the funding, $2 million, was used to purchase electric beds and patient lifts to benefit patients and nursing home residents. The new equipment also helped to provide better working conditions for nurses and other health-care professionals.

The health minister will be in Truro next week to announce the allocation of the remaining $15 million.

Medical Equipment List(www.gov.ns.ca/health/downloads/Equipment.pdf) and Medical Equipment Terms(www.gov.ns.ca/health/downloads/terms.pdf).