MRI machine at Goderich will bring health, economic benefits for community

County council carried a motion to continue supporting, not in a financial capacity, the ongoing campaign to bring an MRI machine to Alexandra Marine and General Hospital in Goderich.

Florence Witherspoon and Liz Higgins-Sager, campaign cabinet members expressed to council that this issue is bigger than one municipality.

“It’s about sustainability and fairness and access to healthcare that is close to home,” Witherspoon said. “For many people, especially seniors and those with mobility challenges or families already under stress, travel to diagnostic care is not a small inconvenience. It’s a barrier to care, and when people are waiting months for diagnostics, everything downstream is delayed.”

The good news, they say, is the solution is incoming and achievable.

This MRI machine would be the first to be located in Huron County. The campaign, in its eight months as of the presentation that morning, needs to raise $6.5 million dollars, of which $4.5 million has already been acquired. The project is provincially approved, and operational target is 2028.

“It really shows how much this community wants and needs this piece of equipment.”

In terms of cost breakdown, the MRI unit at the hospital will take the majority of costs, the chairs confirm, with renovation and construction needed, plus administration and contingencies to consider.

Witherspoon said patient-centred equipment in hospitals valued over $1,000 is not funded by the Ontario government, and needs to be completely covered by the community for cost.

Higgins-Sager laid out benefits beyond health and quality of life. Economically, the benefits extend beyond those in need of imaging.

“It’s progress toward building a more connected and efficient regional healthcare system. It can also improve how we use our healthcare workforce and emergency resources,” Higgins-Sager continued.

“Right now, when inpatients need to travel outside the region for an MRI, that can involve additional coordination, transportation, and staff time. For patients who require medical transport, this can mean significant use of EMS [emergency services] and other healthcare resources simply to get them the imaging that they need. This campaign isn’t just about adding one piece of equipment. It’s about strengthening the capacity and the coordination of healthcare across our region.”

Bruce County also does not have an MRI machine. Closest machines exist in Owen Sound, Palmerston, London, Stratford and Strathroy. For those socioeconomically disadvantaged, she said, making appointments may not even be an option.

Wait times

According to Ontario Health reported averages, priority four patients should be scanned within a target time of 28 days – the average wait was 103 days for priority four patients in Ontario, the presentation stated.

This kind of imaging will also “allow hospitals to avoid costly transfers, and help to attract healthcare professionals to the hospital. We want our region to be viewed as a modern, progressive place to live, work, and receive healthcare,” Higgins-Sager told council.

“Huron County has a higher proportion of older adults compared with the province as a whole, and as we age, the need for diagnostic imaging naturally increases. So older demographics will often need MRIs for age-related changes in the spine, for the staging of certain cancers and for evaluation of strokes and many other indications.” As the county’s population grows, so will demand and need for services.

A letter delivered to council with the presentation from Dr. Tiffaney Kittmer, General Surgeon, Chief of Surgery Alexandra Marine & General Hospital and chair, Magnetic Moments Campaign illustrates their first-hand perspective of the impacts of delayed MRI diagnostics.

“Patients often endure prolonged pain, and many – particularly seniors and those facing financial barriers – struggle with the costs and challenges of travelling for care. In winter, these barriers only increase, sometimes leading to delayed or missed diagnoses.”

Kittmer says this campaign will be what changes this reality. “This effort is much like a barn-raising—it requires hard work, folks coming to together for a good cause and shared commitment.”

Trevor Bazinet, Mayor of Goderich, offered an anecdote with his thanks to healthcare workers in general who are overwhelmed right now, and the team spearheading this campaign, calling its success “vital.”

“We don’t understand how important this equipment is until we actually need it, right? And my wife needed a piece of equipment a year and a half ago that actually kept her here to this day, and that was at our Goderich hospital.”

The campaign representatives asked for support from council that day, which they gave. Since there’s a municipal election in October, there is a moratorium on financial support. Their mission that day was awareness, and seeking municipal collaboration and support.