Significant improvements to CT scan access and wait times for Emergency Department patients at Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital

All New Brunswickers deserve accessible and quality health care and a positive patient experience, and this initiative is one example of how Horizon is committed to providing that every day

(MONCTON) – A reduction in delays and length of stay for emergency department (ED) patients requiring Computed Tomography (CT) imaging has helped increase access to this procedure while improving patient flow and the overall patient experience at Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital.

In its ongoing efforts to support New Brunswickers in accessing emergency care more quickly, Horizon successfully operationalized a process improvement project involving multiple departments to accelerate the transfer process between the ED and the medical imaging (MI) department.

The initial two-week pilot project was launched in Moncton on March 13 and data from this period yielded very positive results, including an increase in the number of CT scans performed (from 130 to 178), and a decrease in CT scan cycle time (from 2.3 hours to 1.5 hours).

“Increasing capacity and improving access for patients aligns with our critical action plan of providing access to safe and quality services,” said Margaret Melanson, Horizon’s interim President and CEO. “We are consistently looking for and implementing innovative solutions to enhance overall patient care, and I’m very encouraged that these improvements will continue as we further expand this service to our patients.”

A CT scan is an important diagnostic tool that combines a series of X-ray views taken from many different angles to produce cross-sectional images of the bones and soft tissues inside your body providing more detailed information than normal X-ray images. CT scans can help detect certain types of cancer, heart disease, blood clots, brain and spinal cord diseases or injuries, and internal bleeding, among other conditions.

“The engagement of frontline staff in this solution was critical to the success of the project and our ability to improve services to this patient population,” said Gary Foley, Horizon’s Vice President Professional Services. “This team has performed so admirably in a very busy environment and the added human resources will only strengthen their ability to provide quality patient care, each and every day.”

Improving access to critical health care services, including emergency care, is a key priority in Horizon’s plan to ensure all patients and clients receive the quality care they need. This plan consists of three other priorities: improving recruitment and retention; improving the overall patient experience; and improving patient flow at our health care facilities. Further details about Horizon’s four priority areas are available at HorizonNB.ca.  This initiative also supports the Government of New Brunswick’s provincial health plan, Stabilizing Health Care: An Urgent Call to Action.

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