2 weeks to finish radiology review: N.L. minister

Newfoundland and Labrador's health minister has ordered a regional authority to complete a review of the work of a suspended radiologist within two weeks, or less than half the time the authority said it would need.

"Four to five weeks is too long," Health Minister Ross Wiseman said Thursday.

"Whatever it takes in terms of human resources, in terms of financial resources, I have directed Eastern Health to have these tests done in a two-week period."

Eastern Health announced Tuesday that it had suspended one of two radiologists working at the Burin Peninsula Health Care Centre after questions were raised internally about the quality of his work.

An internal review this winter showed that about a quarter of the radiologist's work had errors.

Some 6,000 records including ultrasounds, CT scans and X-rays involving about 3,500 patients are being reviewed. The physician, whom Eastern Health has not identified and whose name CBC News is not reporting for legal reasons, started work at the centre last November.

Wiseman said nervous patients should not have to wait for more than a month for answers about diagnostic tests that had been taken.

"Having them wait that long a period without knowing created too much anxiety, unnecessary anxiety, and we need to move this much faster," Wiseman said.

Eastern Health chief executive officer George Tilley said after Wiseman's announcement that the government will nothave to seek help outside the province.

He said local radiologists have agreed to take on this review in addition to their normal workloads.

That's a tall order, said Dr. Ed Mercer, a Corner Brook physician who is president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Radiologists and Nuclear Physicians.

"[It's] close to probably a half-year's work for a radiologist, but I understand that my colleagues at Eastern Health have agreed and are setting upon now a process where they're going to review these examinations," Mercer said.

Scores ofpatients likely need retesting

Mercer added that it's likely that dozens if not hundreds of patients will be asked to come in to have tests redone.

"Enemas or upper GI [gastrointestinal] series, where you are actually present in the room when these tests are done, [are] a bit difficult. You really need to be there when it is done," Mercer told CBC News.

"[With] some of those, it's probably more likely the tests may or may not need to be repeated."

At the legislature, opposition critics expressed concern that radiologists from this province are already under strain.

"Finally it looks like someone is finally taking this serious," said Liberal critic Judy Foote.

"But are there enough radiologists here to do the work when they have their own workload? I don't know."

NDP Leader Lorraine Michael said other patients should not have to wait longer for their results because of the review.

"I would have a concern if this push being so intense that it could affect the regular work of the radiologists," she said.

"It has to be dealt with, but other patients shouldn't have to suffer as a result of that."