KENORA — The Ontario government is improving access to diagnostic imaging services and reducing wait times in Kenora by investing up to $7.6 million to build a state-of-the art Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) suite at Lake of the Woods District Hospital (LWDH) to support the first-ever MRI machine in Kenora.
“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is making record investments in health care to connect more people to the care they need, closer to home,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “With Lake of the Woods District Hospital’s first-ever MRI machine and diagnostic imaging suite, we are making it easier and faster for more families across Northwestern Ontario to access key diagnostic services, in their community, for years to come.”
Through this investment, approximately 1,560 square feet will be renovated at Lake of the Woods District Hospital for a new state-of-the-art MRI suite to house Kenora’s first-ever MRI machine. The new MRI machine will improve timely access to high-quality care in the region and help families, who will no longer have to travel to Thunder Bay to access diagnostic services. With more timely access to care, patients can be diagnosed sooner and receive treatment faster.
“This new MRI suite at Lake of the Woods District Hospital will mean earlier diagnoses, faster treatments, and more time spent at home with loved ones,” said Minister Greg Rickford, Member of Provincial Parliament for Kenora Rainy-River. “It’s an important step forward for accessible health care in Northwestern Ontario and reflects our commitment to ensuring all Ontarians, no matter where they live, have timely access to high-quality care.”
Lake of the Woods Hospital’s first MRI machine will serve patients across Northwestern Ontario, including Kenora, Sioux Narrows and several First Nations Communities. This new machine builds on the 49 new MRI machines in 42 hospitals the Ontario government is adding across the province to increase MRI capacity and services. Ontario is also making it easier and faster for people to connect to publicly-funded surgeries and procedures by adding 100,000 more MRI and CT scans at community surgical and diagnostic centres across the province each year.
As part of Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, the Ontario government is making it faster and easier for people to connect to the care they need, when they need it, in their community, no matter where they live.