MRI scan waiting time?

snubbleste

Does anyone know the length of time you have to wait for an MRI scan in the public health system, Galway? It is a routine check.

fifib

not too sure of waiting time but just wanted to offer bit of advice regarding which hospital you have scan in. If you are male and broad shouldered make sure they send you to merlin park for the MRI. my husband recently had appointment for MRI in UCHG to be told on the day his shoulders were too wide to fit comfortably in the machine and he would have to go to merlin park as their machine is wider, and they looking at him every week for about 3 months and didnt think of this when booking him in!! 2 other guys there n same day were told the same thing. thankfully only a few days wait for the reschedule but he was private.

snubbleste

That's gas

Do you know how long he was waiting for the initial MRI though? From time it was decided he requested one until he got it? PM if you prefer

beardybrewer

I've a buddy with a bad back who in an emergency went private. Took 3 weeks.

LoonyLovegood

I'm public, I've been waiting...five months? My initial problem's completely gone now, mind!

_Whimsical_

3-6 months I think unless it's urgent.

If it is urgent or it was said to you that it'd be rushed then ring up. I know someone who urgently needed one and was left waiting for 4 months because of a clerical error.

swine

Having been through the procedure myself, the waiting time in UCHG is roughly 25 minutes from beginning to end.

Hope this helps.

fifib

snubbleste wrote: »

That's gas

Do you know how long he was waiting for the initial MRI though? From time it was decided he requested one until he got it? PM if you prefer

Took about 2 weeks to get the appointment and then a month later he had it done

snubbleste

Thanks!

JohnCleary

Go private... 1 week wait and a blow-job while you're waiting*


* 1 of these claims may not be true

Miss Informed

Could be anywhere from 6 - 12 months, especially if it's not an emergency. Call central appointments and ask them if you have an appointment date, or if they can give you an estimate: <no numbers, read charter>

The procedure itself is fine too, about 20 minutes, and if you bring your own cd they'll play it for you - a good way to measure the time passing. It's *really* loud, so I brought ear plugs and put the head phones on over them.

Good luck!

Notch000

on the privste system i got a MRI & CT scan within a week, honestly I wasnt even that bad. My friend was in agony and waited over 12 months for the same on public system,
sucks but thats the way it is

_Whimsical_

How long do you have to wait for results if you go private ?

Raging_Ninja

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

How long do you have to wait for results if you go private ?

It ought to be sent to your doctor within a week or two if non-emergency.

It might not necessarily be accurately written up, but they'll have it. When you do get it, ask for a second opinion on the report. Make sure you have a copy of the disk (you'll be given it on the day) and of the report itself.

Notch000

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

How long do you have to wait for results if you go private ?

they gave me a CD to take home but you need to get a consultant to read them, think i had to organise that myself

Faze11

Went private. Doctor referred me. 2 days later got appointment for next day and day after doc rang me with results. 4 days total. Funds are tight in my house but very reluctant to get rid of health insurance when I hear of waiting times for public system. What if it was something serious?

_Whimsical_

Faze11 wrote: »

Went private. Doctor referred me. 2 days later got appointment for next day and day after doc rang me with results. 4 days total. Funds are tight in my house but very reluctant to get rid of health insurance when I hear of waiting times for public system. What if it was something serious?

I'm exactly the same, it's the one thing I'll skrimp and save for. It's just more important than holidays etc.

CowboyTed

Not to sure but you can pay for one for about €250... Ballinsloe were the cheapest at about €190 about a year ago. Shop around they rang between €250-350, I think

rusty999

Suffering with crippling back pain for 3 years .Had an MRI in Sligo and was told I had facet joint trouble and a bit of arthritis in the spine so went for painful injections n the spine which did not help at all, Have a relation works in London hospital and as a favour to me he asked them to read my mri scan there to get a second opinion--same scan from Sligo. Completely different report on the same scan. London says I should be seeing a neorosurgeon as there are 3 discs touching my spinal chord and I should have them removed to allow for bones in my lumbar spine to fuse . They also said I have cord compression whatever that means. How the hell can 2 hospitals give a completely different report on something so serious as this . I dont know what to do now or what to tell my doctor as it will look like I dont trust them.

Gremlinertia

Ask for second opinion as the injections didn't help.. Say you would like the MRI re-examined in case something was missed.. It's your back and your pain so try not to think you're offending anyone..

rusty999

Gremlinertia wrote: »

Ask for second opinion as the injections didn't help.. Say you would like the MRI re-examined in case something was missed.. It's your back and your pain so try not to think you're offending anyone..

Thanks for reply. Thats probably what I need to do sure enough, its just that I cant believe how two so called experts could be so far apart on their findings.
Anyway, watch this space is all I can say for now.

stevejb

i have crippling back pain and need a lot of strong medication , eventually got to see a consultant on thurs and he requested mri scans , today i got the appointment date , 15th dec , thats 10 months so by the time i get back to the consultant it will be one year , our health system is non existing for public health patients , third world countries have better care

biko

Where did you get the appointment at?

_Whimsical_

There seems to be a lot of demand for MRI scans. I know someone who had one recently in the Galway Clinic. She was waiting for a few weeks and her appointment was for 11:30 on a recent Sunday night.

Little My

stevejb wrote: »

third world countries have better care

How many MRI machines per capita in the African continent versus Ireland? Or how would you be waiting for an appointment in, say, Zimbabwe or Nigeria? A lot of people throw out the idea that third world health care is better when they are disappointed with their treatment, but, seriously?

Mrs OBumble

Little My wrote: »

How many MRI machines per capita in the African continent versus Ireland? Or how would you be waiting for an appointment in, say, Zimbabwe or Nigeria? A lot of people throw out the idea that third world health care is better when they are disappointed with their treatment, but, seriously?

+1

I wonder how may developing countries the poster has visited recently, and what kind of care they would get there.

People regularly die in the Pacific Islands, when they could have been saved by if routine surgery if they lived in Australia or NZ. I'lll wager that it's the same for places here too.


(I'm not saying there are no problems here: there are heaps. But it's not 3rd world stuff by any stretch.)

CowboyTed

Little My wrote: »

How many MRI machines per capita in the African continent versus Ireland? Or how would you be waiting for an appointment in, say, Zimbabwe or Nigeria? A lot of people throw out the idea that third world health care is better when they are disappointed with their treatment, but, seriously?

Sorry had to step in here...

European average MRI per million is 11...

Galway has 5 MRI Scanners at least.

The population Galway is 231,000... Looks like we are well covered...

Lack of MRI scanners is not the issue...

stevejb

there is no shortage of scanners, when i phoned drogheda hosp to enquire about an earlier scan i was told i could have one next week if i pay 400 euro and as for people dying in third world countries, there are people dying in this country waiting on ambulances

BobMcBob

Pay for a scan, 250euro
Expensive, but suspect worthwhile spending the money rather than waiting 10 months for the public scan.

CowboyTed

BobMcBob wrote: »

Pay for a scan, 250euro
Expensive, but suspect worthwhile spending the money rather than waiting 10 months for the public scan.

Last year I enquired...
The cheapest in Galway is Ballinsloe @ €195... The city starts at €250

The problem even for private insurance they will only endorse certain MRI... The system is crazy...

There is also a legal thing here... Most Doctors or Osteopaths need an MRI before they will do anything worth while... The Medical profession is run by the legal profession...

donfers

People say go private, but for those on the public system is it not the case that they'll have to wait six months before they are covered for MRI or CT scans - so unless you have been on health insurance for the last six months or so you're in for a long wait either way unless you collapse in pain and go to A&E and even there they may not sanction a scan or have the resources to carry out a scan.

In January of 2013 I went to my GP with throat issues, she sent a letter to hospital asking for consultation with ENT doctor, in January of 2014 I received a letter asking me if I intended staying on the list, I said yes as I still get the same issues I complaind about, I then phoned them and said I had been waiting for a year to see an ENT doctor and the person basically said that that's par for the course and the average waiting time to see an ENT doctor in Galway as between 18 months and 2 years. That same evening I signed up for private healthcare; 2 years to see an ENT doctor is not reasonable in my view and if that's indicative of what happens in other departments then it's not good enough so I have no choice but to go private.


However one thing I don't understand about going private is the following:

Say I visit my GP and she says "hmmm not sure what is causing those symptoms, you seem ok but let's get it checked out just in case" - if public I am placed on the non-emergency waiting list which takes forever.

But, if private, am I not also deemed a non-emergency case and thus would be waiting a long time too. I thought tests were based on level of concern/emergency and not if you were public or private. If a patient has private health insurance and their situation is deemed to be non-emergency then will they still be seen fairly quickly?

snubbleste

The difference in going private is that you see a consultant much quicker.
The public ENT lists in Galway are scandalous - up to 3 years! There were 4500 people waiting for ENT in Galway a year ago.
Yet if you go private, the exact same consultant will see you within a few months.

donfers

snubbleste wrote: »

The difference in going private is that you see a consultant much quicker.
The public ENT lists in Galway are scandalous - up to 3 years! There were 4500 people waiting for ENT in Galway a year ago.
Yet if you go private, the exact same consultant will see you within a few months.

but why do you get to see a consultant much quicker on private health insurance if yoru case is deemed to be not urgent?

on top of that, let's see you are public and on a waiting list to see an ENT doctor or whatever and 2 years later you see him and he says "hmmm not sure what's going on here, I think you should get a few tests" - then is there another long wait for the tests? So basically from date of seeing GP to having test done you could be looking at 3-4 years, is that the case?

Unrealistic

donfers wrote: »

but why do you get to see a consultant much quicker on private health insurance if yoru case is deemed to be not urgent?

on top of that, let's see you are public and on a waiting list to see an ENT doctor or whatever and 2 years later you see him and he says "hmmm not sure what's going on here, I think you should get a few tests" - then is there another long wait for the tests? So basically from date of seeing GP to having test done you could be looking at 3-4 years, is that the case?

The consultant spends 30 hours per week receiving patients and divides his time 50:50 between private and public patients. That time is further divided so that the 30 hours per week is split as follows:

5 hours: Urgent (public)
10 hours: Scheduled (public)
5 hours: Urgent (private)
10 hours: Scheduled (private)

It's split 50:50 but if there are 2000 public patients per year and only 1000 private patients then private patients will be seen twice as quickly.

(Numbers made up for the sake of the example but the principle is correct as I understand it.)

donfers

Unrealistic wrote: »

The consultant spends 30 hours per week receiving patients and divides his time 50:50 between private and public patients. That time is further divided so that the 30 hours per week is split as follows:

5 hours: Urgent (public)
10 hours: Scheduled (public)
5 hours: Urgent (private)
10 hours: Scheduled (private)

It's split 50:50 but if there are 2000 public patients per year and only 1000 private patients then private patients will be seen twice as quickly.

(Numbers made up for the sake of the example but the principle is correct as I understand it.)

thanks for that - certainly is a big incentive to go private

what about post-consultant tests? Are they allocated on a similar basis?

CowboyTed

Unrealistic wrote: »

The consultant spends 30 hours per week receiving patients and divides his time 50:50 between private and public patients. That time is further divided so that the 30 hours per week is split as follows:

5 hours: Urgent (public)
10 hours: Scheduled (public)
5 hours: Urgent (private)
10 hours: Scheduled (private)

It's split 50:50 but if there are 2000 public patients per year and only 1000 private patients then private patients will be seen twice as quickly.

(Numbers made up for the sake of the example but the principle is correct as I understand it.)

I will tell you about my example... I went to my doctor in late Dec with a mole.
Nothing urgent, best get it removed...

Consultants appointment two weeks ago with procedure arranged afterwards. I was asked when suited... We agreed it was best for after Cheltenham but I could have done it last week.

The system is Two Tier... I pay for VHI... I would never give it up...

Is the system fair? No... Is there ways to not only make it fairer but more importantly more better? Yes...

For starters we take too much MRIs in the first place... I have had 3 on my back in the last few years.. All shows the same thing... But every new consultant wants to see a new one with out looking at previous ones...

What we need to do is computerise all medical records starting in primary care and working back into the hospitals... The HSE spends €250M a year on IT, a pilot project would cost €250k... Start small, simple solution... Roll out and lets make this transparent..

If you can't measure it, you can't manage it...

Mrs OBumble

donfers wrote: »

People say go private, but for those on the public system is it not the case that they'll have to wait six months before they are covered for MRI or CT scans - so unless you have been on health insurance for the last six months

If you're wanting private health insurance to cover it, yes you would have to wait whatever the threshhold time is until your policy covers pre-exsiting conditions. (I thought it was five years, not six months).

But you can just pay for the scan yourself, without involving health insurance in the mix. And it's certainly what I woudl do.

donfers

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

If you're wanting private health insurance to cover it, yes you would have to wait whatever the threshhold time is until your policy covers pre-exsiting conditions. (I thought it was five years, not six months).

But you can just pay for the scan yourself, without involving health insurance in the mix. And it's certainly what I woudl do.

You are correct, I think it is 5 years for pre-existing conditions and 6 months for routine tests

I assume I would be covered under the 6 month rule as there are no pre-existing conditions that I am aware of.

However that brings me to another question, let's say the routine scan or test revealed some condition or other, then I guess the health insurance wouldn't pay out as they'd classify it as a pre-existing condition, whereas if the scans and tests were clear then they would pay out - is that correct?

_Whimsical_

donfers wrote: »

You are correct, I think it is 5 years for pre-existing conditions and 6 months for routine tests

I assume I would be covered under the 6 month rule as there are no pre-existing conditions that I am aware of.

However that brings me to another question, let's say the routine scan or test revealed some condition or other, then I guess the health insurance wouldn't pay out as they'd classify it as a pre-existing condition, whereas if the scans and tests were clear then they would pay out - is that correct?

I don't think so unfortunately. I think if you're having tests related to a pre existing complaint then those are not covered regardless of what they uncover.However you'd need to ring up and ask your insurer to be positive.

Mrs OBumble

Yah, most people don't have tests for nothing :-)

Note that it's pre-existing, not pre-diagnosed.

donfers

Hmmmm....this isn't very clear to me

pre-existing condition = the insurer doesn't pay

pre-existing complaint i.e. I have headaches, let's have an MRI to make sure it's nothing serious, scan all clear = surely then the insurer covers it

_Whimsical_

donfers wrote: »

Hmmmm....this isn't very clear to me

pre-existing condition = the insurer doesn't pay

pre-existing complaint i.e. I have headaches, let's have an MRI to make sure it's nothing serious, scan all clear = surely then the insurer covers it

You're best to ring up and find out or if you're feeling lazy inquire over on the Insurance board. Personally I would be very surprised if any insurers policy positively favoured the customer in this or any other circumstance. I would say that "condition" refers not only to a diagnosed illness but also to any symptoms that you have already seen your doctor about ,the cause of which may or may not show up in particular tests.

snubbleste

snubbleste in October 2013 wrote: »

Does anyone know the length of time you have to wait for an MRI scan in the public health system, Galway? It is a routine check.

Was told it is 9-12 months for a routine non-emergency MRI :eek:

snubbleste

snubbleste wrote: »

Was told it is 9-12 months for a routine non-emergency MRI :eek:

Checked again and it's between 14-18 months for a routine MRI in the public health system :eek:

El_Dangeroso

You're better off saving up to pay for it privately, it cost €250 in Merlin park

snubbleste

Another update.
UCHG have decided to operate the MRI scanner at weekends. At weekends :eek:
It's to reduce waiting times apparently and possibly the recent case where a man needed an urgent MRI at a weekend and had to be transferred to Dublin to get one - at a costs of thousands of taxpayer €s

_Whimsical_

snubbleste wrote: »

Another update.
UCHG have decided to operate the MRI scanner at weekends. At weekends :eek:
It's to reduce waiting times apparently and possibly the recent case where a man needed an urgent MRI at a weekend and had to be transferred to Dublin to get one - at a costs of thousands of taxpayer €s

Wow sense at last!Thank God for that.
The recent case of a man who had to be sent to dub for an MRI over a weekend, requiring a dr and nurse to travel with him by ambulance, an emergency neurosurgery team on standby depending on the results of the mri was expected to have cost in the region of 40 k according to the City Tribune last week.Had the mans case been time critical it would also have possibly cost a life.
It could all have been avoided if they'd just switched their own machine on and called in one radiographer.
There is some appalling mismanagement going on,they seem to be learning the very very expensive way.