Premier Pat Binns announced today that new MRI services are expected to be operational at the QEH in January 2003, and linear accelerator services in May 2003. Construction of the expansion to the hospital for the new services will begin in June.
"The purchase of the Linear Accelerator at $3 million and the MRI at $2.5 million is the largest one-time investment ever made in health technology by our province," said Premier Binns. "With the new equipment, Islanders will have access to some of today's most advanced medical diagnosis and cancer treatment services here in our own province."
The two pieces of equipment, construction and other related equipment bring total capital costs to $10.6 million. An additional $1.6 million has been budgeted this year for start-up operational costs.
Health and Social Services Minister Jamie Ballem advised that considerable work went into planning for and selecting these two pieces of highly specialized equipment, which will be built to meet PEI's specifications.
The linear accelerator will be purchased from Varian Medical Systems, based in the United States. The MRI will come from Siemens Canada Limited, based in Germany. The final contracts are now being negotiated, and delivery of both the MRI and Linear Accelerator is expected in November.
"With the new equipment and additional staff, Islanders will have access to a full cancer treatment centre and increased access to high standards of medical diagnosis, while reducing referrals out-of-province for MRI scans by 90 percent and cancer treatment by at least 90 percent," said Minister Ballem.
The development of detailed site and floor plans has been underway for several months. The new equipment will require the addition of a 15,000 square foot expansion to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, as well as major renovations to the provincial cancer treatment centre and diagnostic imaging department. The expansion will include the creation of 35 new and expanded rooms, including 10 examination rooms, and designated space for nutrition counselling, social work and pastoral care.
The tender for site construction was issued on March 26, and this work is expected to begin later this month.