Lydia Mutsch authorises Acquisition of 4 additional MRI Hospital Equipment

Luxembourg Health Minister Lydia Mutsch has given the go-ahead for the acquisition of four additional MRI equipment for hospitals in the Grand Duchy.

Minister of Health Lydia Mutsch has given the authorised the acquisition of medical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment and related construction measures at the four hospitals in Luxembourg (CHdN, Ettelbruck; CHEM, Esch; CHL, Barblé; HRS, Kirchberg).

The Minister can rely on the favourable opinion of the Standing Committee for the Hospital Sector (CPH) of 29 May 2018, in relation to the request for acquisition by each hospital centre of an MRI. In fact, following the entry into force on 1 April 2018 of the law of 8 March 2018 on hospital establishments and hospital planning, the acquisition and use of medical equipment or devices, the cost of which exceeds the €250,000, must be authorised by the Minister of Health.

Currently, the equipment area in place has 7 MRIs (2 at the CHL, 2 at the HRS, 2 at the CHEM and 1 at the CHdN). Authorisations for 4 additional MRIs are part of the joint approach of the Ministries of Health and Social Security aimed at reducing waiting times for MRI and underline their political will to act for the well-being of patients. According to recent CNS data, 49,251 MRIs were recorded in Luxembourg in 2016, of which 1,324 (around 2%) were performed abroad.

The acquisition of the 4 new medical magnetic resonance imaging equipment also aims to reduce the number of examinations by scanners, during which the patient is exposed to X-rays, unlike MRI exams.

In order to improve the justification of medical imaging examinations, since 2015, the Ministries of Health and Social Security have launched several actions to promote the quality of medical imaging examinations requests, in close collaboration with hospitals, medical radiologists, patients and field workers.