Planning for the Introduction of New CT Services in Rural and Remote Communities in Canada

Key Messages

• CT services are essential for diagnosing various conditions in Canada. There are existing challenges with access to these services due to the limited availability of machines, high demand for services, and long wait times. Rural and remote communities may experience additional challenges, as these services are often located in large urban centres.
• Canada’s Drug Agency (CDA-AMC) conducted an informal survey among senior medical imaging decision-makers to determine the factors that influence planning for new CT services in rural and remote communities in Canada. To better understand current access to CT services and support future planning, the average population served by CT services in rural and remote communities was also calculated.
• When establishing a population-based threshold for CT capacity in rural and remote areas, CDA-AMC found that, on average, a hospital with CT capabilities serves a population of approximately 56,100 people, with a catchment area of a 100 km radius.
• There are various factors that influence decision-making when planning for the placement of new CT services in rural and remote communities, some of which include the size of the community served, patient travel time to a primary care centre or travel distance to the nearest available CT facility, and the resources and costs associated with interfacility transfers and delayed scan times.
• The volume of exams and the clinical needs of hospitals are other important factors that influence CT planning in rural and remote communities. This demand and need for CT services informs decision-making around staffing and maintaining professional competency.