Tired of long wait times for MRI scans, anonymous donor gives away $1M to improve facilities

Long wait times for appointments, checkups, and treatments are a major barrier to accessing healthcare. Often, receiving timely medical attention could be a matter of life and death. Unfortunately, various factors contribute to prolonged waiting periods that can adversely affect patient outcomes. So, this anonymous donor wanted to do their part in improving access to healthcare. St. John Regional Hospital Foundation recently announced that a $1 million anonymous donation has significantly cut MRI wait times.

“We’re thrilled to announce a significant upgrade to MRI services within Horizon Health Network thanks to a generous $1 million donation from an anonymous donor!” the caption read. The hospital shared the vision of the donor in the caption as well. It read, “This incredible act of philanthropy is fueled by the donor’s clear goal and vision: to transform healthcare in New Brunswick. This generous gift will advance Horizon’s Critical Action Priorities, including improved access to services, patient experience and recruitment and retention.”

This substantial donation enables the hospital to implement various measures to shorten MRI wait times. These include “An additional 4,000 exams annually – a 26% increase in service, hiring of 4 technologists in Saint John, Moncton, Fredericto, and Miramichi regions, provision of MRI training to an additional 8 employees and streamlining medical imaging requests through a new system.” The organization noted that a personal patient experience inspired this philanthropic act.

In a press release, Shannon Hunter, the founder and CEO of the foundation, mentioned that this “transformational gift” will work wonders. “This investment will lead to reduced wait times for MRI services and better health outcomes for New Brunswickers across the province,” she said. Margaret Melanson, the president and CEO of Horizon, remarked, “This investment will help us reach the target of providing elective MRI service within 60 days within the next two years—a benchmark recommended by the Canadian Association of Radiologists.”

Hunter further encouraged others through the anonymous donation to continue to contribute to human welfare through different means. She said, “This is a testament to how donor generosity can transform health care.” “As we’ve learned throughout the last few years, solutions to the extraordinary challenges we are facing in health care won’t come solely from one government, one person or one idea, but from many individuals and organizations working collectively toward the betterment of our health care system.”

Dr. Ania Kielar, president of the Canadian Association of Radiologists, said that being forced to wait over 60 days for the scan due to lack of equipment “is unacceptable,” per CBC Canada. She further acknowledged the donor and their generosity and added, “As a Canadian, I say thank you to that donor.” She further added, “Obviously, I think this is a step in the right direction, point blank. At the same time, I don’t feel that individuals should have to be the ones funding this. I mean, it is a fixable problem. We just need the federal government to take a leadership role.”