Abstract

Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is the gold-standard diagnostic test to evaluate the heart when it begins to fail, a condition known as heart failure. However, wait times for CMR often exceed nine months, leading to delays in diagnosis and subsequent management of patients. In May 2016, we implemented an intervention at our institution where combined clinical and research CMR scans were performed on a research magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine, leading to an approximate 45% reduction in clinical wait times. Extension of our experience to other centres across Canada and beyond can reduce wait times and help bring them in line with local/national targets.