posted in Blog, Uncategorized
Cowichan News Leader
Published: March 04, 2010 6:00 AM
Dr. T. Rand Collins says he’s on a mission to help those stuck in long wait lines for MRI scans and other medical procedures.
It’ll cost for travel to the U.S. and for any procedures, but the work will be done and done quickly, promised the senior vice-president of the new western operations branch of International Health Care Providers Inc.
“Patients are willing to go someplace to get care or evaluations, but don’t know how to do it,” said Collins
“If you’re somebody with a back condition and are having trouble getting into the lineup here in B.C. and think about going to the United States, well you don’t know where to go, who the doctors are, you don’t know how to evaluate the system, how to pay for treatment, all of this kind of stuff.”
Collins, a retired U.S. pathologist, said IHP basically provides a road map for patients looking to get health care in the U.S.
“We will get your medical records and will also call one of the hospitals we deal with in the States to set up an appointment,” he said.
“You simply go to (an American city) with a prescription from your doctor in hand and you will get your scan there.”
The scan results will then be sent to the patient’s Canadian doctor, Collins said.
Initially and for good reason, it seems the new business will likely focus on MRI scans.
Shannon Marshall, a Vancouver Island Health Authority spokeswoman, said there are no delays for CT scans or emergency MRIs, but patients could wait up to 15 months from the date of the booking for non-emergency testing.
“Anyone who needs an emergency MRI does not have to wait for their test and there are no wait times for CT scans,” she stressed.
However, wait times for non-emergency MRIs are approximately 11 months in Victoria and approximately 14 months if people want it done in Nanaimo.
One of the challenges experienced by VIHA is the MRI is preferred over CT scans because MRIs give more detailed test results and do not use radiation.
VIHA currently has four MRI machines: three in Victoria — one at Royal Jubilee Hospital and two at Victoria General Hospital — and one in Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.
The machines operate seven days per week, at an average of 10 hours per day.
“Since 2003/2004 we’ve actually increased the number of MRI scans by about 30 per cent across the health authority,” said Marshall.
“Last year we did 22,500, but we had some one-time funding from the government to provide a lift.”
But this year is a different story, with the number of budgeted MRIs set at about 19,000.
That’s where Collins and his company come in. There’s no big secret why the Cowichan Valley was the first choice for the business.
“It’s actually a good place because we have lots of retirees on the island,” he said.
Carol Hunt, of Cowichan Seniors Community Foundation, said she welcomes the new business.
“There’s no shock and amazement that this sort of thing is happening, but more, ‘Hey, they’ve chosen the Cowichan Valley and isn’t that interesting?’” she said.
“I don’t know anything about the company … but it certainly reinforces what our seniors foundation has been preparing the valley for and that’s how we have to really pay attention to our growing, aging population and how our community is transitioning into a place where not only seniors are choosing to retire.”
“Obviously the company has done its due diligence in doing a market analysis and is of the opinion coming to set up shop here will be a viable business.”
Indeed, said Collins, but his company is not without its detractors.
“Some feel we’re deserting the (Canadian) medical system and in some ways could damage it,” he said.
“To me it’s akin to the American argument that legalizing gay marriage will damage the institution of heterosexual marriage.”
Collins hasn’t been hired by any local patients yet, but said he knows they’ll come.
“The idea of shopping for care is not really in the Canadian psyche, but the pros of using IHP include quick care, which is important when you’re hurting and on a waiting list,” he said.
“Also, in my opinion, the top end of technology in the States is higher than that in Canada.”
And, added IHP founder Kelly Meloche, it’s not as expensive as one might think.
“With regards to price, IHP clients benefit from a 55 per cent discount for MRIs and 45 per cent for CT scans,” she said from her Ontario headquarters.
“This means a person can wait in Canada for several months waiting for an MRI or they can pay $600, have an MRI the same or next day, leave with the (image) disk and have the interpretations within 24 hours as well,” she said.
Collins said instead of being in competition with the Canadian medical system, his company actually enhances it.
“What we may be able to do is take some stress off the system by taking away those people who can afford this option,” he said.
“The last thing we want to do is be seen as threatening or adversarial to the doctors here — we really want to be a service for the doctors who are trying to get care for their patients.”
For more information about the company, log onto www.ihcproviders.com.
