Calling it a game-changer for the community, Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Jeff Yurek this morning (Thursday) announced the province has approved funding for a long-awaited MRI for St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital.
Once in operation, the unit – costing approximately $2.5 million – will ensure residents of St. Thomas and Elgin will no longer have to travel to hospitals in London or Woodstock for diagnostic imaging.
“This new investment brings MRI services home to our community,” advised Yurek.
Hospital president and CEO Karen Davies said the unit should be in operation within a year.
She advised, “It’s a significant investment in the future of health care in St. Thomas and Elgin county.”
Davies noted the hospital has to send patients to other facilities for diagnostic imaging, adding “it’s a burden for our teams and patients and a burden for the other facilities.”
Davies added the unit will be housed in what used to be the old emergency department.
The hospital is one one of the few medium-sized facilities in the province without an MRI.
In an interview with Davies back in June, she stressed securing an MRI remained a top priority for the hospital.
“It is an older facility and so getting that MRI in place is Priority 1. We do have some other programs that need to move into some newer space.
“For example, our lab is currently working in the oldest section of the building and we have a good, strong plan in place for that. We’re just working with the ministry to move that forward.
“And then our pharmacy, which is also in one of the oldest sections of the building and you can imagine there is a tremendous amount of new requirements and legislation around where the pharmacy operates and what that building looks like.
“And so we’re advocating very strongly for new pharmacy space.”
Thursday morning, Yurek hinted more good news may be on the horizon.
