Regina woman awaiting biopsy reacts to plan to send patients to Calgary

Lindsay Rogers says sending Saskatchewan patients to Calgary to cope with long wait times for breast cancer diagnoses is a step forward, but there’s still more work to be done.

“This is a reactive response, which is great, but at the same time, what saves money is proactive reactions,” Rogers said.

The provincial government announced Wednesday that it will send urgent patients to Alberta to get breast cancer diagnostics sooner. The screenings will be performed at a private radiology clinic in Calgary.

Patients will be given $1,500 to help cover travel expenses.

Rogers found a lump in her breast in April, and she since has faced long waits for medical testing.

Her longest wait was to get a biopsy that would give her confirmation of a breast cancer diagnosis. Her biopsy is now booked for next Tuesday in Regina, meaning she has faced a wait of around 15 weeks.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority previously said in a statement to 980 CJME that it strives to provide biopsies for most urgent care patients within three weeks. For less urgent cases, patients will wait six weeks.

“(Sending patients to Calgary) isn’t enough by any means,” Rogers said. “This will help the wait list dent a portion, but by no means (is this enough).”

Rogers is glad to see that some travel expenses are going to be covered, but worries that it may not be enough. The costs of food, hotels and transportation could add up to a lot.

Health care in other provinces is seeing strain, so Rogers wants to see the provincial government reel in more health-care workers to Saskatchewan.

“Where are they on hiring staff? Because right now I haven’t seen anything in regards to any radiologists being hired to come to the province amongst other health-care staff to help,” she said.

The SHA said in a statement that it will combat radiologist shortages in the province by extended service hours, approved overtime and using temporary workers to fill the positions.

Rogers worries about hospital staff burning out to try and keep up with the workload.

“All health-care staff, just like you and me, this is their job and not their life,” Rogers said. “They have lives. They have families at home.

“Mental health is so important for everyone, especially for health-care workers so they can be there for the patient.”

The out-of-province care will be co-ordinated by the Regina Breast Assessment Centre. Other people have taken matters into their own hands due to long wait lists, leaving the province for MRIs.

Rogers is glad to see more patients get off the wait list faster.

“I think it’s a start in the right direction,” she said. “I think we have a long ways to go. This will definitely help minimize that wait list.”

NDP reaction to announcement

NDP Leader Carla Beck said the government’s announcement Wednesday is a sign of a broken health-care system in Saskatchewan.

“This is a government that has failed to prioritize health care, and women’s health,” Beck said Wednesday in Saskatoon.

“This is not a new phenomenon. This is something health-care workers and women have been raising the alarm about since before the pandemic.”

Beck says instead of patting himself on the back, Health Minister Everett Hindley should be apologizing to women for forcing them to travel out of province to have a lifesaving diagnostic.

Beck noted the number of mammograms performed in Saskatchewan has been trending down since 2017.

“We see other provinces like Ontario actually expanding the age for mammograms, reducing that to age 40 which is indicated by health-care professionals,” Beck said. “It’s a sad day to get to where we are today.”

— With files from 650 CKOM’s Brent Bosker