“The project has been a collaborative effort between diagnostic imaging staff in Prince Edward Island and a radiology group in Nova Scotia,” said Doug Currie, Minister of Health. “This project helps alleviate some of the current pressures on our health system and will significantly reduce wait times for appointments and improve the report turnaround times.”

Teleradiology is the electronic transmission of digital images from one site to another for interpretation. The digital images are transmitted securely through an on-site server to a radiology group located in Nova Scotia.

“The project is a result of significant effort of staff from diagnostic imaging, the Department of Health, medical staff and IT services and will help support the current shortage of radiologists on PEI,” said Jamie MacDonald, Provincial Director of Diagnostic Imaging Services. “The key to the success of this project is our Diagnostic Imaging Applications and Systems support team, who manage the project.”

“We appreciate the assistance in managing the excessive workload our department has experienced over the past few years,” said Dr. Colin Foley, Medical Director, Provincial Medical Director, Diagnostic Imaging. “I hope this collaboration will be seen as an example of physicians in different provinces working together to address one of the major problems in our universal healthcare system, which is timely access to imaging exams.”

Radiologists in Nova Scotia with the Teleradiology project are licensed by the PEI College of Physicians and Surgeons and are members of the PEI Medical Society.