CAR - Canadian Association of Radiologists

The Canadian Association of Radiologists is the national specialty association for radiologists, dedicated to medical imaging excellence in patient care

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Value of Radiology, Part II

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Highlights from the Report

  • Excessive wait times for CT and MRI diagnostics cost the economy $3.54 billion in 2017.
  • Approximately 5 per cent of patients, or 380,000 people a year (1 in 20), are forced to exit the workforce temporarily while they wait longer than the recommended maximum wait time.
  • Having workers off the job while waiting for diagnostics hurts the ability of firms to produce goods and services. This, in turn, hurts GDP, reducing government revenues by $430 million a year.
  • The cost of excessive wait times will likely increase. Growth in demand for CT and MRI services is expected to outpace the growth in supply over the long term.
  • Currently, 151 new CT machines and 91 new MRI machines are required to modernize Canada’s stock of medical imaging equipment, at a cost of $469 million.
  • Total investment in acquiring imaging machinery needed to meet demand and in keeping the machines up to date with the latest technology amounts to $4.4 billion over the next two decades. This can translate into a saving of $3.5 billion per year.
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Value of Radiology, Part I

The Value of Radiology in Canada, a report by The Conference Board of Canada’s Canadian Alliance for Sustainable Health Care examines how radiologists and medical imaging have added value to the healthcare system, improved patient care, and driven cost savings. The report was produced in collaboration with the Canadian Association of Radiologists, including the pan-Canadian Value of Radiology group led by CAR representatives from all provinces.Read the Value of Radiology, Part II

Highlights from the report

  • Radiology is an integral component of Canadian healthcare; patients from every demographic rely on medical imaging to diagnose and treat innumerable conditions
  • A quantitative overview of the radiology workforce and its practice conditions in Canada
  • Case study examples of added value:
    • Breast cancer screening
    • Teleradiology
    • Interventional radiology

 

Value of the report for Canadian radiologists

Health accord - With the new health accord on the horizon, having clear messaging about the role of radiologists and medical imaging in the health care system helps the CAR and its provincial partners to position their advocacy work in a framework that emphasizes value rather than cost.

Patient, practitioner and public messaging – The report can be used to start dialogues with patients, our medical colleagues, and the public.

Valuation model – The Conference Board laid out a model at the end of the report that can inform additional work on the subject, and strengthen the position of radiologists and provincial radiology associations.

The CAR will continue to pursue projects related to the Value of Radiology. This report will serve as a springboard to further inquiry and research which highlights the quantitative and qualitative value of radiologists and medical imaging to the healthcare system on a national and regional basis.

We encourage all members and other interested parties to read the report* and to consider how they can contribute evidence and information to future work on the value of radiology.

*The Conference Board of Canada’s website will prompt you to create an account or sign-in to read the full report. Access to the report is free.

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