Pacific Radiology delivers an impressive increase in essential healthcare services for the Hamilton community

RHCNZ Medical Imaging Group is delighted to announce the opening of two new Pacific Radiology branches in Hamilton this April. These two new, purpose-built clinics, North Hamilton and Te Kōhao Health Wellness and Diagnostic Centre, will significantly increase the availability of essential medical imaging services for both Hamilton and the greater Waikato region.

Pacific Radiology’s North Hamilton branch opened its doors to patients on Monday 8 April. Prior to this, North Hamilton residents have not had convenient, local access to high tech imaging services such as MRI and CT scans. As well as these high-tech services, this clinic offers ultrasound and walk in x-rays. The North Hamilton branch is conveniently located in Pukete, close to The Base Shopping Centre and main public transport routes.

RHCNZ Medical Imaging Group CEO Terry McLaughlin says that the North Hamilton clinic will give locals more choice and better access to essential medical imaging services.

“I am incredibly pleased that our high-tech medical imaging services and expert radiologists are now available in North Hamilton. Until now, this community have not had convenient, local access to services such as MRI and CT scans. This new clinic provides patients with a greater range of medical imaging options in their neighbourhood and will decrease patient wait times in the Waikato,” said Mr McLaughlin.

The Te Kōhao Health Wellness and Diagnostic Centre is a new partnership between Pacific Radiology and Te Kōhao Health. This innovative collaboration will help reduce health inequalities for Māori in the Waikato by providing a new model of care that minimises barriers to access and provides timely, essential health services in an appropriate, whanau led environment. Te Kōhao Health Wellness and Diagnostic Centre, which has been named Taakiri Tuu by Kiingi Tuuheitia, offers CT, mammogram, ultrasound, and x-ray services. These medical imaging procedures all play essential roles in the diagnosis of cancer and heart disease, the leading cause of premature deaths in Maori.

The Managing Director of Te Kōhao Health, Lady Tureiti says that on average Māori have the poorest health status of any ethnic group in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Māori are twice as likely to face discrimination in health and less likely to be referred for diagnostic tests.

“Te Kōhao Health is hoping to change these outcomes by disrupting the historic continuum with our Wellness and Diagnostic Centre which has been a dream of ours since 2018.”

As well as increasing choice and reducing wait times for radiology services, these two new clinics will help future proof medical imaging services for the Waikato region, whose population growth is forecast to be higher than the national average over the next few years.

The Te Kōhao Health Wellness and Diagnostic Centre was officially opened on Monday 15 April with an opening event that was attended by local Iwi and senior representatives of both Te Kōhao Health and Pacific Radiology. The official opening for the Pacific Radiology North Hamilton clinic will take place on Tuesday 23 April.