Proactive screening service launched

Following the success of the government-funded national breast screening initiative, Pacific Radiology and Christchurch Radiology have introduced a proactive screening service for the colon, heart, arteries, bones and for female organs of the pelvis.

The service will also cover mammograms biennially, to complement the two yearly government-funded mammograms.

The service is called Pre-empt (www.preempt.co.nz), underlining its focus on identifying conditions before they present symptoms.

Executive Director of Pacific Radiology, Dr Tony Young, says Pre-empt is motivated by a desire to address something radiologists see all too often; scans that show conditions that have existed long before being diagnosed.

“The prospects of cure are so much higher if you can identify and address a condition early, and this is the single-minded motivation behind Pre-empt.”

Dr Young says Pre-empt will also provide reassurance to those who are clear.

“Pre-empt’s promise is the thrill of a clean bill of health or the benefits of early detection.”

The service will complement GPs’ focus on diagnosis and patient wellness.

“A service that identifies conditions before they are apparent will be a valuable complement to GPs services. Whenever a condition is identified, the treatment decisions will be made by the individual’s GP in conjunction with a specialist,” Dr Young says.

“In New Zealand we have some of the world’s most advanced screening technology which, combined with recommended five-yearly screening for all procedures other than mammography, makes this a safe and practical way of complementing reactive health services.”

Pacific Radiology and sister company Christchurch Radiology is the largest radiology concern in New Zealand, based in Wellington and Christchurch, respectively. With time, the intention is to extend Pre-empt to Auckland and other key centres through partnerships with other radiology practices.

Pre-empt is offered in two variants – Personal Pre-empt for individuals and Professional Pre-empt for businesses and public organisations.

Managing Director Andy Allison says Pre-empt expects strong interest from businesses, many of whom already provide senior executives with health checks, but without the diagnostic capability of advanced radiology.

“Our research suggests organisations are looking for a point of difference for attracting and retaining top performing staff, and Pre-empt is a straightforward, practical means of achieving this,” Mr Allison says.

“It offers the prospect of a major return on investment through increased loyalty, commitment and productivity of key people, and low levels of invasiveness means procedures can generally be undertaken without taking time off work.”

On an annualised basis, Personal Pre-empt screenings range from $132 for males aged between 40 and 50, through to $692 for females aged 60 plus.

For further information:

Dr Tony Young
Director
Ph: 021 2211614
tony.young@crg.co.nz

or

Andy Allison
Managing Director
Ph: 021 810 246
andy@preempt.co.nz