MRI knee scan

This is

does anyone know where the cheapest MRI scans can be booked anywhere in ireland or northern ireland?

r3nu4l

Original Poster, I'm moving this to Bio & Med forum as you may get some information there. It may not be suitable for that forum either but I'm sure the mods there will let you know

Moved from Men's Health forum

GuanYin

Can patients in Ireland book their own scans?

I don't believe this is the case.

kelle

GuanYin wrote: »

Can patients in Ireland book their own scans?

I don't believe this is the case.

I'm sure it's the same system as CT scanning - the doctor or consultant sends the request form to the MRI department, it is approved by a radiologist who decides how urgent the scan is, then you are given an appointment accordingly.

If you are a public patient under the public system, it's free.

If you are a private patient though, you will have to pay.

You need to ring the appropriate hospitals/clinics and find out how much they charge.

VHI, Quinn Health or Aviva may cover your charges, you need to explore their websites (that is, if you have cover with one of them!)

GuanYin

Once again, the Irish Health System boggles my mind

NUTLEY BOY

Some medical insurers will give full cover for MRI scans at selected locations. If you go to a hospital that is NOT one of their selected locations you will only get reimbursed in part.

Some health insurers will accept a request for MRI originated by a GP.

The best thing to do is to ring the insurer first to sort out what they offer and what they require as that can vary during the year. Next, get written confirmation by e-mail from them as some insurance company bods have terrible amnesia when you claim back the money.

Some insurers will have direct billing arrangements with certain MRI centres.

Dr Galen

AFAIK CT and MRI have to be prescribed as such, by someone with that power, i.e a doctor or some types of advanced nurse practitioner. I may be wrong on that, tried looking up the relevant bits on the net but got overwhelmed with data.

GuanYin

Mystik Monkey wrote: »

AFAIK CT and MRI have to be prescribed as such, by someone with that power, i.e a doctor or some types of advanced nurse practitioner. I may be wrong on that, tried looking up the relevant bits on the net but got overwhelmed with data.

That is what I Imagined the case to be.

I'm going to close this until the local mods come along.

DrIndy

I think the OP is looking for a good price because he has no health insurance. If your GP or other doctor has given you a letter of referral, you are entitled to shop around for a private scan. The only advice I have for you is to call them all individually and see which will give you the best price and the shortest wait.

cltt97

Have no idea about cheapest, but had two in the Mater Private and they charge around 600 Euro.

drzhivago

This is wrote: »

does anyone know where the cheapest MRI scans can be booked anywhere in ireland or northern ireland?

Depends why you need the scan and what is the degree of urgency, places that have shortest waiting list are often more expensive I have found

Depends also on what body part (there are small scanners around for limbs)
If you are claustraphobic there is only one open scanner as far as I know in Beacon Clinic, this has caught me out a few times when referring patients as one of the questions on the forms is are you claustraphobic, most answer no but then realise they have to lie on their backs in a tunnel for 40 minutes with the roof of the tunnel about 5 inches from their face a a terribly clanging sound the whole time

Ultimately what you pay (if you pay it yourself) will be offset against TAX in a MED 1 form at end of the year

If it is an emergency problem your GP might refer you to one of the hospital out patient clinics or even emergency department if really urgent and they may take this on and organise for you, just a thought

The problem for General Practitioners in ireland is that the set up of the health services does not prioritise them in any way for diagnostic investigations. It was not until recently that MRI scanners were available in public hospitals and thus when it was private GP could not refer you there unless you were going to pay yourself

A truly crappy service with no back up for a GP who actually sees and wants to investigate patients

norrie rugger

cltt97 wrote: »

Have no idea about cheapest, but had two in the Mater Private and they charge around 600 Euro.

Circa €400 in that place towards Ballymun.
Can not remember the name though, it is a sports clinic

RobFowl

norrie rugger wrote: »

€400 in that place towards Ballymun.
Can not remember the name though, it is a sports clinic

Northwood imaging (santry)

http://www.northwoodimaging.ie/pricelist.asp

MRI €395 GP or consultant referral needed

norrie rugger

RobFowl wrote: »

Northwood imaging (santry)

http://www.northwoodimaging.ie/pricelist.asp

MRI €395 GP or consultant referral needed

Bingo, sin é