While the occurrence of adverse events related to the transportation of critically ill patients can be as high as 60 per cent of these patients, many patients requiring urgent or routine MRIs in the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority (WAHA) region of northern Ontario have to be transported to either Timmins or Kingston. A portable MRI can help reduce risk by having the scan directly available to health professionals and the patient in the region.
It’s why Queen’s University researcher, Dr. Omar Islam, is studying the impacts of portable MRIs on patient care, clinical utility and costs with the aim of making these devices available to communities in northern Canada. Through this study, Dr. Islam hopes to narrow the gap in health-care delivery in order to help those experiencing geographical barriers and financial constraints access timely and effective care.
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