Ultrasound wait times shrinking in P.E.I.

Ultrasound wait times are successfully being reduced, say P.E.I health officials.

The main challenge has been a shortage of sonographers, the technologists who conduct ultrasounds.

The province's full complement should be 10 full-time equivalent positions.

But earlier this year, there were only 4.5 full-time positions. That was leading to lengthy delays, ranging from six months to a year for some non-urgent cases.

Now there are 6.5 sonographers and that number will reach 9.3 by February, says Theresa Callaghan, Health P.E.I.'s director of diagnostic imaging services.

By that time, target wait times should be met, she says.

"The inroads that we've been making are predominately in the semi-urgent [cases] because we were doing pretty good, we were keeping the emergency and the urgent patients done within target," said Callaghan.

"The semi-urgent and the non-urgent, we were struggling with. So we've had real significant progress in the semi-urgent. They were waiting approximately six months and now it's down to four to six weeks."

All patients should at least have an appointment notification this fall, Callaghan says.

She thanks Islanders for their patience while health officials have been working to improve access to ultrasounds.

Breast and obstetrical ultrasounds are dealt with differently and are booked in a timely manner, she says.