First MRI Opens in Canada North at Whitehorse General Hospital

January 14, 2015 — The first magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) program in Canada's North has opened at Whitehorse General Hospital (WGH) thanks to the joint efforts of the Yukon government, the Yukon Hospital Corporation and the community.

The facility is open ahead of schedule with the first patient exams scheduled for next week. The new MRI program is initially expected to conduct about 1,800 patient exams each year and is now accepting physician referrals for scans, which are then reviewed for safety and appropriateness.

The Yukon Hospital Foundation spearheaded a successful campaign that raised $2 million for the purchase of the MRI scanner. The Yukon government matched this $2 million in funds and then contributed an additional $2.8 million to build the facility.

The new MRI scanner was supplied by Siemens Healthcare Canada Ltd., which secured a third-party contractor West Med to build the new facility with support from Yukon specialized trades and local services.

For more information: www.whitehorsehospital.ca