P.E.I. getting mammogram readings under control

The province has cleared a backlog of hundreds of mammograms that were waiting to be read last fall but will have to continue to bring in locum radiologists to keep up.

Women can now expect to hear the results of their mammograms within two weeks, said Jamie MacDonald, technical director of diagnostic imaging.

The waitfor a diagnostic mammogram is about two weeks, but making an appointment for a screening mammogram still means a wait of several months to a year.

"Right now we are in pretty good shape," said MacDonald. "But with mammography wait times … at nine months, we'd like to reduce that. So we will be bringing in a radiologist to focus on mammography reporting."

Government began flying in radiologists from out of province in November after one radiologist said the mammogram screening program would have to be shut down if the situation didn't improve.

The province is still looking for two full-time radiologists.