Last week, the Otago Daily Times reported the Southern District Health Board might send patients to private hospitals for cardiac MRI scans because of a staff shortage. The board was first reviewing the 16 patients to see if they could have a different procedure.
Not all cardiologists are trained to perform cardiac MRI scans, and the board had two; one of whom left recently, while the other is soon to retire.
Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Ian Powell said the situation highlighted the problem of specialist shortages.
''The net result is to have to spend extra money on using private hospitals. Specialist shortages are financially wasteful.
''The cardiology service at Southern District Health Board is obviously in a vulnerable state if the DHB is being forced to consider sending cardiac MRI patients to private hospitals.''
It showed the need for a strategy to address an ''entrenched'' specialist shortage in hospitals.
Health board patient services medical director Dick Bunton said the size of Dunedin Hospital meant single vacancies could affect its ability to provide some service.
''Having the ability to utilise private capacity is a sound short-term stop gap measure to ensure we can provide services to the community, until services return to normal.''
The board had recruited to one of the positions, and was trying to fill the second.
