MRI team at Redcliffe shines

In just over three years since the MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machine arrived at Redcliffe Hospital, the service has grown to scan close to 400 patients each month.

MRI Team Leader Daniel McAlister said the MRI machine arrived at Redcliffe Hospital in late 2020.

“Before then, Redcliffe Hospital patients needing an MRI were transported to other hospitals and facilities,” Dan said.

“We don’t need to transfer those patients anymore. Most patients needing an MRI can get the scan they need onsite at Redcliffe.

“That was always the plan for the service, and we’re proud to have achieved that.”

Dan said demand for the MRI scanner at Redcliffe was high, with many of the patients they scan having suffered a stroke.

“To help keep up with that demand, the MRI team expanded our hours earlier this year to offer more scans each day,” he said.

“If an urgent scan is needed in the middle of the night, there’s on-call coverage too, meaning patients who urgently need a scan get the care they need at any hour of the day or night.”

Along with increased hours, the MRI team has also recently improved their service with innovative new software.

“With the help of that new software and our expanded hours, in February, we scanned 394 patients,” Dan said.

As team leader, Dan is proud of the way the service has been able to increase the number of patients scanned since 2020.

“We’re looking to keep those numbers high and break the target of 400 scans a month,” he said.

The MRI Team at Redcliffe includes radiographers, nurses, and medical imaging assistants.

The team were recognised earlier this year with a Redcliffe Hospital Star of the Month Award in recognition of their efforts in improving access to patient care.