MAHC HOSPITAL X-RAYS AVAILABLE AGAIN FOR WALK-IN PATIENTS — NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY
MUSKOKA — Three x-ray sites at MAHC are open again as walk-in service centres — in Burk’s Falls, Huntsville and Bracebridge — after four years due to COVID.
No appointment is necessary.
MAHC will no longer schedule x-ray appointments
Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare says today, Feb. 22, that it is resuming walk-in only service for outpatient general X-ray services to improve access and flexibility for both patients and referring healthcare providers.
In a release they say x-rays, like most medical exams or tests, require a referral and requisition from an ordering healthcare provider, generally doctors and nurse practitioners.
Referring providers send an electronic requisition directly to the hospital and/or give a hard copy of the requisition to the patient to bring to their X-ray exam.
Walk-in visits are not pre booked.
They say that through a walk-in only service, patients who have been referred to have an outpatient X-ray will arrive at any of the three x-ray locations.
Patients will be seen in order of arrival.
Please note there could be delays in accommodating the X-ray if the healthcare provider has not completed all required parts of the requisition.
Walk-in practice was stopped in 2020 to meet patient safety requirements during a time of great uncertainty during early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are pleased to resume walk-in only X-ray services, and will no longer schedule x-ray appointments with patients. Resuming the walk-in practice means a patient can direct their own care more efficiently,” says Cheryl Harrison, president and CEO.
“For example, a patient could leave their healthcare provider’s office with a completed requisition sent electronically to the hospital or in hand hard copy and go straight to one of our locations for the X-ray the same day.”
Walk-in x-ray services are available Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Huntsville District Memorial Hospital site and the South Muskoka Memorial Hospital site.
They are also available at the Almaguin Highlands Health Centre in Burk’s Falls on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A MAHC release last summer said the Huntsville Hospital Foundation reopened its x-ray suite, replacing 15-year-old equipment with new state-of-the-art x-ray technology that will improve diagnostic care for residents and visitors of all ages around the region.
This investment was made possible by the generosity of community donors through the Foundation’s Focus On Imaging campaign, which purchased a new digital X-ray machine that is now operational in The Sprott Foundation Diagnostic Imaging Department.
Annually, MAHC completes more than 36,000 X-rays, half of which are completed in Huntsville.
