Towards 24/7 MRI: the effect of routine weekend inpatient MRI scanning on patient waiting times

Abstract

Abstract Background Demand for inpatient MRI outstrips capacity which results in long waiting lists. The hospital commenced a routine weekend MRI service in January 2023. Aim The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a limited routine weekend MRI service on MRI turnaround times. Methods Waiting times for inpatient MRI scans performed before and after the introduction of weekend MRI from January 1 to August 31, 2022, and January 1 to August 31, 2023, were obtained. The turnaround time (TAT) and request category for each study were calculated. Category 1 requests were required immediately, category 2 requests were urgent and category 3 requests were routine. Results There was a 6% (n = 128) increase in MRI inpatient scanning activity in 2023 (n = 2449) compared to 2022 (n = 2322). There was a significant improvement in overall mean TAT for inpatient MRIs (p < .001) in 2023 (mean 65.2 h, range 0–555 h) compared to 2022 (mean 98.3 h, range 0–816 h). There was no significant difference in the mean waiting time for category 1 MRIs between 2022 and 2023. There was a significant improvement (p < .001) in mean waiting time in 2023 (mean 37.2 h, range 0–555) compared to 2022 (mean 55.4 h, range 0–816) for category 2 MRI. The mean waiting time for category 3 studies also significantly improved (p < .001) in 2023 (mean 93.4 h, range 1–2663) when compared to 2022 (mean 154.8, range 1–1706). Conclusion Routine weekend inpatient MRI significantly shortens inpatient waiting times.