CAR members know too well that when patients wait for diagnostic imaging it is emotionally draining for them as well as their families. Everyone knows someone that is waiting for care and may miss work but how much does it cost?
According to the Conference Board of Canada excessive waiting for MRIs alone cost the economy $3.54 billion in 2018. In addition, these excessive wait times keep over 380,000 Canadians from work resulting in a loss of $430 million in tax revenue.
The second in a series of the Value of Radiology reports, the study also estimates the amount of investment needed to close the gap in wait times for MRIs and CTs by investing in new equipment. Using the best publicly available data on [provincial] wait times and combining it with the Conference Board’s econometric models, the report is set to be released on June 25. Stay tuned for the publication of the report tomorrow.