I was just told yesterday that I need an MRI on my knee. Does anyone know what to expect for wait time?
I waited 9 months for mine. It depends on what it’s for as well
A year-ish. Brutal. If you have the scratch it’s like $800 at a private clinic and can probably get in within a week.
The new system is working!
rubs hands together in privatization
Been that way for at least a decade already. This isn't new.
When you get your appointment you will see a number and can call to be put on the short call wait list. This is a list where if they have a last minute cancellation and you drop everything and can be there in as little as 45 min you can sometimes jump the line. Of course your spot is guaranteed regardless. With all medical procedures it will be triaged based on your diagnosis and need so that will affect when you get in.
I did this and cut my wait time by months. They called at about 9 at night and asked if I could be there within an hour. You only get a couple chances though so you have to be able to drop everything and go over right away.
It also depends on how urgent your doctor rates the necessity of the MRI on the referral.
Sometimes...but the radiologist can (and do) override that so that other doctors can't just put STAT on everything and expect it to work.
They don’t write STAT. It’s a number system based upon various symptoms. And what you are suggesting would slow it down even more.
That number based system is completed by the radiologists. Every single MRI request is approved and triaged by a radiologist.
They may look at it again but doctors mark their priority on it. I’ve been through this more than once with specialists.
And yes, orsering doctors often do write STAT (or urgent) on their requisitions in an attempt to get it faster.
Took me a year. It will be triaged based on urgency though so it varies. If you are able to go last minute, get yourself on a cancellation list once your appointment is booked
If you have benefits/health spending account through your employer, check to see if they cover MRI costs. I've paid for two that way. First one got in the next day, and the second my request went in at 9am, they called me at 330pm, and I was on the table by 5pm.
The Dr who referred you should be able to tell you, or the clinic or out patient site they referred you to.
I was referred in January and the appointment was in April.
I had one late January. The receptionist was on the phone with a patient telling them if they needed to rebook it wouldn't be until Nov-Dec timeframe. This was at south health campus.
Did your doctor or specialist send in the req form? If they did, you'll get a letter in the mail with a date and instructions. I think how fast you get in depends a lot on what the referring doctor says.
Just called with my appointment for next March- 13 months after my referral was made
If you want to pay about $1000 you can have one in a few days. Otherwise 6-9 months for anything not deemed emergency.
I had one late January. The receptionist was on the phone with a patient telling them if they needed to rebook it wouldn't be until Nov-Dec timeframe. This was at south health campus.
If it is an injury that happened in the last 6 weeks, book into the U of C Acute Knee Injury Clinic.
I went through it a few years ago and had my knee evaluated with an MRI within a week.
Are you dying? Is your knee detached from your body? If not, 8 months to a year. Go on the cancelation list. Might shorted it.
I got in with a torn rotator cuff within 36 hours.
How long has your knee injury been? I heard if you can get a referral to the university of Calgary sports clinic, they can get you a MRI pretty quickly.
Edit: the injury has to be within 6 months
This site ranks the facilities.
Looks like the Calgary facilities have among the longest waits.
35-49 weeks for 90th percentile.
Yep, https://goodcaring.ca seems to have a lot of good data on wait times
Why wait if you are in pain. You can pay for one for $675.
If you have a req form I'd suggest calling around to different clinics. I got into Mayfair pretty quick when I needed an MRI.