The opening of a new radiology clinic in Fraser Cove, Tauranga will bring much-needed capacity and choice to the Bay of Plenty region, giving patients and doctors improved access to medical imaging services.
Local MPs, stakeholders and staff gathered at an event on 15 August to formally open I-MED Radiology’s newest clinic.
In a first for the region, the clinic offers PET-CT and SPECT scans, important diagnostic tools used to help diagnose cancer and assess cancer treatment.
It also offers general radiology services, including MRI, x-ray, and ultrasound, providing the local community with access to shorter scan times.
Angus Brown, I-MED New Zealand general manager, spoke at the event and says the Fraser Cove clinic is a major boost to local health services, where, for the first time, patients and their requesting medical practitioners can access specialist diagnostic scans close to home.
“The clinic provides the local medical community and patients access to specialist scans that they otherwise would have had to travel to Auckland or Hamilton to receive,” he says.
“A clinic like this in Tauranga provides the local community with cutting edge diagnostic imaging technology at their doorstep. Patients undergoing cancer treatment who need specialist scans are already under immense stress, travelling a long way for a scan adds to that stress. Now they can access these services in a familiar and welcoming environment.”
Roger Lysaght, I-MED Tauranga Regional Manager, says the new clinic also provides much-needed capacity for radiology services in the region, and enables more choice of providers for the local medical community and patients.
“By offering a broad range of services, including those not previously available such as PET-CT and SPECT scans, it offers enhanced patient comfort due to shorter scan times. We’re thrilled we can offer the local community access to high-calibre medical services at their doorstep.”
The clinic’s opening also comes after Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced a $30 million funding boost in June for faster access to radiology services, recognising the inconsistent access to radiology services across New Zealand.
