Private family doctors shall be able to refer patients directly for most plain radiological X-Rays to Government Health Centers. However, private family doctors must fill out an online request via myhealth website for the patient to be X-Rayed.
To this effect patients will no longer be required to be re-examined by the Health Centre doctors prior to having an X-Ray taken at the Health Centers.
Medical Digital Imaging (X-Ray) Service Opening Hours of Health Centers:
The attention of all General Practitioners is being drawn to the attached schedule which refers to the current opening hours of the Medical Imaging (X-Ray) Service in each of the respective Health Centers:
| Health Centre | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floriana | 07.30-19.30 | 07.30-19.30 | 07.30-19.30 | 07.30-19.30 | 07.30-19.30 | 07.30-19.30 | Closed |
| Gzira | 07.30-14.00 | 07.30-14.00 | 07.30-14.00 | 07.30-14.00 | 07.30-14.00 | 07.30-14.00 | Closed |
| Qormi | 07.30-14.00 | 07.30-14.00 | 07.30-14.00 | 07.30-14.00 | 07.30-14.00 | 07.30-14.00 | Closed |
| Paola | 07.30-19.30 | 07.30-19.30 | 07.30-19.30 | 07.30-19.30 | 07.30-19.30 | 07.30-19.30 | Closed |
| Cospicua | No X-Ray service available | ||||||
| Mosta | Open 24hrs from Monday till Sunday | ||||||
| Rabat | No X-Ray service available | ||||||
| Bkara | No X-Ray service available | ||||||
Eligibility:
1. Private family doctors may refer both urgent and non-urgent patients directly for plain radiological investigations to the X-Ray clinic at the various Health Centres according to where the patient resides.
2. The opening hours of the Medical Imaging (X-Ray) clinics in the various Health Centers are as per above schedule.
3. The Medical Imaging (X-Ray) service at Mosta Health Centre is available 24hrs, while at Floriana and Paola Health Centers the X-Ray service is available till 7.30pm.
4. After respective daily closure of the X-Ray units within Health Centers, patients are to be referred to the closest X-Ray Unit still in service. After 7.30pm, all patients requiring X-Rays are to be referred to Mosta Health Centre by the General Practitioner/Private Family Doctor unless advised to go to Mater Dei.
5. When referring patients to another health center, the patient should then be followed up at the referred health center and not sent back to the referring doctor.
6. The radiographer must be informed immediately if there is a possibility of pregnancy.
7. Only plain digital X-Ray imaging is provided at health centers. For other special x-ray examinations, patients need to be referred to Mater Dei Hospital.
Protocol
Private family doctors must fill out an online request via myhealth website when referring patients for plain radiological investigations. No referrals will be processed unless the request is on this form.
Both for cold and non-urgent cases, x-ray imaging is still mainly performed as on a walk-in basis. However, X-Ray imaging is on some rare occasions performed by appointment. For those instances where an appointment is required, the radiographer would inform patients directly re appointment date.
All urgent cases will be seen immediately as walk-in cases.
Patients are to produce a means of identification when calling at the Health Centre
On the appointment date and in urgent cases patients will be directed immediately to the X-ray clinic after presentation of the Family Doctor request form at the reception. Patients no longer require to be vetted by the Health Centre family doctor prior to the X-Ray.
Urgent cases will be reviewed by the health center doctor immediately after the X-Ray is taken. Other non-urgent patients are instructed to revisit the respective health center in less than 10 days’ time in order for a doctor to provide them with the specialist radiologist report.
Private family doctors can view results on myHealth and patients can also obtain a CD copy of the X-Ray from the Medical Imaging Department at Mater Dei Hospital.