ADR MP Jeff Engelen wanted to know why the four new MRI machines will all go to hospitals that are already equipped with MRI technology.
In his answer, minister for health Étienne Schneider explained that the hospitals sent in their demands for additional MRI machines together with plans for structural changes to the hospital premises. The MRI machines will go to hospitals that are currently expanding their medical imaging departments and have acute care facilities. This means that the new machines will be ready for use much sooner.
But Schneider also stated that the government is currently thinking of providing more MRIs to other hospitals as well.
The minister's answer also revealed that only 6% of Luxembourg residents receive their MRI scans abroad, but conceded that this number has been going up in recent years.
The minister for health was not able to give information on the average waiting time to get an MRI scan in Luxembourg.
The four new MRI machines have been ordered and are expected to be operational from some point during the second half of 2019, and will bring the total number of MRI machines in Luxembourg up to 11.
