#Kingston, November 4, 2019 – Jamaica – Health and Wellness Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, says patients at public hospitals can now access services provided by 10 approved diagnostic radiology entities, where these are not available at the institutions to which they have been admitted.
The service providers are Apex
Radiology, Danhope Radiology, Dynamic Imaging Services, Erin Radiology, Imaging
and Intervention Associates, Kris Radiology, North Coast Imaging, Radiology
West, St. Jago Ultrasound and X-ray, and the University Hospital of the West
Indies (UHWI).
Dr. Tufton said the
services that can be accessed include computed
tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) scans, ultrasounds, endoscopy, fluoroscopy,
mammography and X-rays. He
further advised that framework agreements facilitating this arrangement, which were
signed on September 25, came into effect on Monday, October 7.
The Minister was responding to
questions from Member of Parliament for Central Kingston, Ronald Thwaites,
during Tuesday’s (October 29) sitting of the House of Representatives.
Dr. Tufton informed that the
arrangement will facilitate patient referrals to contracted service providers,
where hospitals do not have the capacity to undertake the requisite tests.
This, he further advised the
House, will be based on the recommendation of the attending physician, adding that
the arrangement only applies to persons accessing medical care at hospitals. These include inpatients, accident and
emergency patients, and clients being seen at outpatient clinics.
Contact: Chris Patterson
Release: JIS
Photo Caption: Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, addressing the House of Representatives on Tuesday (October 29).
Photographer: Rudranath Fraser