MRI Wait Time Query

Lorne Malvo

Hello,
Does anyone on here know what the wait time for a wrist MRI scan on the public wait-list in Dublin?

Vorsprung

Depends on the indication but likely many, many months

Dempo1

47 months was the time I was given, just amazed the HSE put this in writing, this was b4 the pandemic crisis so anyone's guess now. Hilariously, I also received a letter, 1 year into appointment to ask if I was still interested.

Lorne Malvo

Dempo1 wrote: »

47 months was the time I was given, just amazed the HSE put this in writing, this was b4 the pandemic crisis so anyone's guess now. Hilariously, I also received a letter, 1 year into appointment to ask if I was still interested.

Really, for a scan only; not surgery?

Dempo1

Lorne Malvo wrote: »

Really, for a scan only; not surgery?

For a scan re leg, knee issue. The issue complicated by having to see a consultant first. On a funny note, I broke the other leg 4 weeks ago, only to have the same consultant. Operated on successfully and I dropped a hint re my problem leg so he's trying to bump me up on waiting list

Lorne Malvo

Dempo1 wrote: »

For a scan re leg, knee issue. The issue complicated by having to see a consultant first. On a funny note, I broke the other leg 4 weeks ago, only to have the same consultant. Operated on successfully and I dropped a hint re my problem leg so he's trying to bump me up on waiting list

See a consultant for a MRI? Really?
Is a referral from GP not enough?

Derdwerker

Lorne Malvo wrote: »

See a consultant for a MRI? Really?
Is a referral from GP not enough?

I always thought so. But then again my GP referred me to Charter in Smithfield, which I think was 200 but was covered by my health insurance. 47 months is madness

Dempo1

Lorne Malvo wrote: »

See a consultant for a MRI? Really?
Is a referral from GP not enough?

Yes, my GP arranged for xray which was inconclusive but my understanding is MRI is requested after a consultant consultation if that makes sense and I presume if consultant deems it necessary.

I may be incorrect but I assume if my GP could request an MRI, she would have. She referred me to consultant and this is when the wait time commenced.

Dempo1

Derdwerker wrote: »

I always thought so. But then again my GP referred me to Charter in Smithfield, which I think was 200 but was covered by my health insurance. 47 months is madness

Agreed but I've since heard not uncommon. I could go private and indeed may have too but I have a long term auto immune illness and have full medical card etc, which makes no difference on waiting times etc

Dempo1

I guess the original post asks how long to get an MRI, if on waiting list, literally 2 to 3 years, if you want to pay, about 2 weeks. Of course absolute emergencies a separate issue but only relevant if admitted to hospital etc

Arbie

I was put on a waiting list for an MRI in June 2014 and was told it would be at least 18 months. I had it done privately 2 weeks later (covered by VHI) and cancelled the public one.

In Dec 2019 I got a call from the public hospital to say my 2014 request had been scheduled... 5.5 years later! They hadn't cancelled it so I had been on the list the whole time. Radiology services in many public hospitals are under severe pressure.

Dempo1

Arbie wrote: »

I was put on a waiting list for an MRI in June 2014 and was told it would be at least 18 months. I had it done privately 2 weeks later (covered by VHI) and cancelled the public one.

In Dec 2019 I got a call from the public hospital to say my 2014 request had been scheduled... 5.5 years later! They hadn't cancelled it so I had been on the list the whole time. Radiology services in many public hospitals are under severe pressure.

That's astonishing but kinda matches my expected wait time. I do appreciate services are stretched but it's hard to accept 5 year waiting lists. If we assume regional hospitals deal with regional patients are we to believe 5 years is acceptable, even if ever single citizens in varou regions had to have an MRI, surely it wouldn't take 4/5 years for each person to be seen. I sadly think this is more about incompetence and perhaps staffing levels

Vorsprung

GPs cannot request MRIs in public hospitals/clinics, but can in private institutions.

Arbie

Dempo1 wrote: »

That's astonishing but kinda matches my expected wait time. I do appreciate services are stretched but it's hard to accept 5 year waiting lists. If we assume regional hospitals deal with regional patients are we to believe 5 years is acceptable, even if ever single citizens in varou regions had to have an MRI, surely it wouldn't take 4/5 years for each person to be seen. I sadly think this is more about incompetence and perhaps staffing levels

The demands on staff are huge. Considering the numbers of requests and the well-documented lack of resources, the error rates and delays should be much higher.

In my case the scan was not urgent so it would have kept going to the bottom of the pile when a cancer patient or a child needed to be prioritised.

Rodin

I would have to go private and pay.
Individual health is far too important to wait. It shouldn't be so but it is what it is.

Malmedicine

Vorsprung wrote: »

GPs cannot request MRIs in public hospitals/clinics, but can in private institutions.

We can in some areas around the country

Vorsprung

Malmedicine wrote: »

We can in some areas around the country

Didn’t realise that!