Clarifying Misinformation in Thumbs Down Letter to Editor in November 2023 Focus on Scugog
We are sorry to hear about the recent thumbs down letter to the editor in Focus on Scugog about an individual’s experience with the CT scan in Port Perry. It was misinformation to have been advised that the CT in Port Perry was not running due to having no staff. This is incorrect! It is correct to say, however, that there are staffing issues in healthcare as well as the community as a whole and Port Perry Hospital is no different. 
We would like to clarify:
- Over 1000 patients have had CT scans at Port Perry Hospital in the first four months of service.
- Emergency and inpatient scans are prioritized, along with a number of outpatient spaces available daily.
- Some outpatient scans may experience delays or redirection, based on the scan type and urgency of that type of scan.
- In small hospitals especially, diagnostic imaging staff handle many various procedures, including CT scans and X-rays. In the last four months they have also performed over 3,000 x-rays.
- Lakeridge is continually working to increase CT availability and address staffing challenges. Unfortunately this takes time.
- Coordination improvements are underway with Lakeridge Health and doctors’ offices and central booking for clearer communication.
We recognize that this incident serves as a reminder for better coordination and information dissemination. While work continues to enhance CT services, we’d like to acknowledge our DI team’s hard work – 1,000 patients received their scan at Port Perry in the first four months of service thanks to their hard work. Thank you for your patience. We hope you will help us share this update.