As wait times climb, Albertans opt for private MRIs and CT scans [Video]

The time it takes to get medical diagnostic testing through Alberta public health care is increasing, leading some Albertans to pay out of pocket to get it done privately.

The most recent publicly shared data from 2023 shows fewer magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are being performed through the public system while the time to get one done is going up.

“(The wait) is so stressful, so painful,” said Zari Mann, a Calgarian who was referred to get an MRI back in May.

Her appointment was set for November, more than six months after her doctor told her to seek out the scan as part of a suite of testing for what she thought could be cancer.

The wait to try to get a proper diagnosis was too long for her, she said, so she opted to pay for a private scan.

She was booked in the next day.

“We pay for everything through tax. And when …