The healthcare industry is rapidly advancing with new technologies coming onto the market every day. MRIs have been present for many years, yet they are becoming more advanced and accurate.
MRIs are able to provide images to healthcare professionals that help diagnose diseases in patients. This then allows the doctor to create an appropriate treatment plan based on what the MRI finds.
Different from a CT scan that uses radiology, MRIs utilize hydrogen that is naturally in the body to capture internal images. This technology has always been advanced, but now it is even more show-stopping.
Through the creation of mobile MRI machines, more of the population is granted access to a higher quality of healthcare. Mobile MRIs involve MRI machines that are inside vans or trailers that travel from point A to point B, giving MRIs anywhere it stops.
The demand for mobile MRIs is increasing around the world because of what they can offer to so many diverse populations. They also have the ability to enhance communication between healthcare providers, which is difficult in the hospital setting.
If you are considering utilizing a mobile MRI machine, here are five cases in which its use would be most effective.
1. Reduce Wait Times at Healthcare Facilities
Hospitals have many patients, all of whom have to wait before scheduling appointments or receiving the care they need. Wasting precious time is dangerous when it comes to health, and mobile MRIs can help reduce the wait before a diagnosis.In Canada, managing MRI wait times is a major concern. Up until 10 years ago, only 45% of centers were meeting wait times for certain categories. That number has now changed due to the growth of Mobile MRIs.
Having a mobile MRI available allows clinicians to offer an alternative to the on-site MRI machine that many people require the services of. More patients are able to be seen in less time, decreasing the amount of waiting around that takes place in hospitals.
With more time available, more patients can be cared for. An increased number of patients can be scanned and observed, leading to a better quality of care. Clinicians won’t have to rush as much to get through all their patients in time because of the added machine.
2. Brings the MRI Conveniently to Many Locations
The most unique benefit of the mobile MRI machine is the ease with which it can travel. Rather than patients having to travel long distances to quality healthcare, it can come closer to their location.
In many cases, elderly patients require a lot of medical care. They are not always able to drive themselves, so the mobile MRI machine will make it easier for them to receive the medical care they require.
There are also some locations in the world that do not have the best quality of healthcare to provide their populations. Remote locations such as northern Finland can receive equal care to the rest of the country, which is rated as one of the top healthcare providers in the world.
The vehicles in which the MRI machines are located are also well equipped to travel in difficult conditions. While it does require servicing, it is worth it to offer patients easy access to the healthcare they require. Patients are much more highly satisfied because of the access they have to mobile MRI machines.
3. Mobile Machines are Much More Cost Effective
MRI machines cost a pretty penny to establish in-hospital. That’s why mobile MRIs are becoming more popular. They don’t cost nearly as much and offer more than stationary machines.
They have the potential to save hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of material costs for hospitals as well as travel expenses for patients. Both healthcare facilities and patients will benefit from the reduced cost of mobile MRIs.
Thousands of patients have to pay a high price for MRIs every year, and the use of mobile MRIs will help reduce that cost.
4. Artificial Intelligence Can Work hand-in-hand with MRI Scans
MRI scans done in both the stationary and mobile setting catch many of the ailments that patients have and allow healthcare professionals to diagnose them effectively. In some cases, however, there are small lesions MRI scans do not pick up.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used in combination with MRI machines to even more effectively catch diseases. This advanced technology is more precise and can be used along with mobile MRIs.
AI technology recognizes even the smallest of abnormalities in the human body. It can be used on lung, brain, heart and liver scans to monitor for cancer or disease in these areas.
The use of AI will help save even more money for healthcare providers because of its tendency to make correct diagnoses. Facilities will not have to use expensive resources multiple times if they fail the first time because AI is more accurate.
5. Avoid Space Limitations of Smaller Hospitals
MRI machines are big, and not all hospitals are big enough to house this necessary piece of machinery. Smaller hospitals might not have space or the means to purchase a fixed MRI machine.
The cost of mobile MRIs is lower so it is more feasible for smaller hospitals to afford. Further, the low price makes it less of a commitment than a fixed machine. It would not be as big of a loss if they find the machinery is not necessary.
Some hospitals also physically do not have the room to house an MRI machine on-site. It requires a lot of big equipment that utilizes valuable space. With mobile MRIs, this will not be a worry.
Mobile MRIs will give these smaller hospitals access to the same medical care as larger ones, increasing the number of patients that can be cared for.
The benefits of mobile MRIs make them comparable to stationary machines. They lead clinicians to be able to effectively diagnose patients in a larger capacity.
Mobile MRIs are effective for small and large healthcare facilities alike. They enable equal healthcare to more of the population because of the easy access they allow.
They also cost less than the typical MRI machine and enable more advanced technology to be integrated. It is worth looking into a mobile MRI machine to take healthcare to the next level.
