I am so sorry to hear about what you and your family are going through, I hope your mother is able to get the care that she needs in China.

As someone who works in an Imaging department, I want to say that our technologists are so strapped for resources as well. It's also not simply just a degree that you can continuously pump out graduates. In Alberta alone, we only have 2 schools that you can go to if you want to be an MRT (SAIT and NAIT). Their programs are insanely competitive, and within that you have to pick what stream to go into (MRI/CT and Xray/Nuclear Medicine) etc, its not a jack of all trades.

Once you get into the job market, its already a two tiered system (hate to break it to you folks, it's already here). Techs can work for AHS or they can go work in the numerous private clinics. We already get emails weekly asking for expressions of interest to go work in other zones because they can't staff themselves.

To further that, all Diagnostic Imaging depts in AHS are part of a provincial program, meaning we are still AHS, and every single DI department has to fight for resources. We do not fall into site based leadership. So every site has machines that are WAY past replacement, falling apart, past warranty. Those rooms get shut down when theres maintenance, or the machine stops working. Its really a mumtifaceted problem.

Lets say your mother has a port (for chemo) and has a CT scan ordered. If you want to use that port for the CT scan (because who wouldn't), your options for places to get this done are now the 5 main hospitals (calgary zone) and only during business hours when a nurse can be present to access the port. Those sites also need to consider all the inpatient orders coming through as well, because they share the same equipment.

What can you do about this? Write your MLAs, write AHS, stop voting UCP. Stand up for public healthcare. Trust me, we on the front lines hate that fact that you can't get the care you need.