New Contract Aims to Address Backlogs

Nova Scotia’s health authority has enlisted a human resources firm to help reduce long wait times for MRIs and ultrasounds by bringing in additional diagnostic imaging specialists.

In January, the province signed a one-year contract—without a competitive bidding process—with British Columbia-based ProMed HR Solutions. The agreement includes an optional one-year extension and could be worth up to $17.9 million. This approach mirrors the province’s past contracts with travel nurse agencies to address staffing shortages.

Under provincial procurement rules, the government can bypass the public tender process in urgent, specialized, or exceptional circumstances.

A spokesperson for Nova Scotia Health described the arrangement as a “no-spend commitment standing offer,” meaning the province will only pay for services as needed.

“It’s essentially a pay-as-you-go system,” Health Minister Michelle Thompson explained in an interview Friday.

Wait Times Among the Longest in Canada

Nova Scotia has some of the longest diagnostic imaging wait times in the country.

According to the latest data on the health authority’s website:

  • 90% of patients wait up to 291 days for an ultrasound, while half of patients wait 35 days or less.
  • 90% of patients wait 335 days or less for an MRI, with half waiting up to 64 days.

Thompson also shared data showing that between April and December 2024, MRI volumes increased by 69% compared to the same period in 2023. Ultrasound volumes have risen 41% from 2020-21 to 2024-25.

Expanding Service Hours and Filling Vacancies

Thompson said the contract with ProMed allows the health authority to bring in extra staff as needed, either to extend service hours at certain hospitals or to temporarily fill staffing gaps.

“We’re working hard to shorten these diagnostic imaging wait lists,” she said. “We need to assess where vacancies exist, where there’s available capacity, and use these resources effectively. It’s unfortunate when expensive equipment sits idle due to staffing shortages.”

Temporary Support While Recruitment Continues

While the province continues to focus on recruiting permanent staff, Thompson acknowledged that private firms like ProMed play a role in addressing immediate gaps.

A Nova Scotia Health spokesperson said it’s too early to estimate how many additional MRI and ultrasound scans will be completed as a result of the contract.