Company Profile
Establi shed in 1997 North Queensland X-Ray Services have been servicing the Far Northern community of Queensland Australia for almost 15 years.
Our core business is Diagnostic Imaging for patients who have been referred from General Practitioners, Allied Health Professionals or Medical Specialists.
Since inception North Queensland X-ray Services has challenged the belief that diagnostic clinics are cold and impersonal, and we are pleased to note that we do our best to offer a warm and caring enviroment for your treatment. While our core business is in imaging, our focus is squarely on providing sound customer care. Central to this is our decision to bulk bill. North Queensland X-ray Services is committed to bulk billing all services where medicare rebate-able (Procedures are bulk billed in accordance with the guidelines provided by Medicare Australia, as determined and advised by the Australian Health Insurance Commission (HIC).
By removing monetary restrictions patients are referred according to health concerns or clinical indications, without concern for their financial status. We are proud to provide such a broad level of access and in doing so NQXS has become an essential health provider for the region.
With clinics established in Cairns and Townsville, we have grown from one clinic to six private clinics in the last fifteen years. Each clinic offers its own range of services, the details of which can be viewed by clicking here.
Within the state of Queensland, more than half of the population live and work in regional areas1. Our expansion therefore reflects a growing population. According to the Bureau of Statistics, in 1997 our regional population was 408,530 people. In contrast, 2006 sees an estimated 450,203 people calling North Queensland home2.
With an extra 42,000 people in the area, and a decentralised health network state-wide, our service is vital to the health of Queensland as a whole - a role we recognise comes with great responsibility.
In addition to expanding our sites we have therefore committed to capital investments - both in technology and in the medical expertise of our staff - to ensure we provide you with the very best.
In the area of technology we have grown to provide diagnostic imaging in six major modalities. These include Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), General X-Ray, Ultrasound, Mammography, and Bone Densitometry. And in the year ending 30 June 2011 we invested more than $3 million into technology upgrades.
But we're not stopping there. Further investments are planned and include:
- The pursuit of advances in teleradiology
- The installation of online film review for our referrers
- The reintroduction of a bulk billed echocaradiography service
- The replacement of ultrasound film with digital imaging
With capital investment comes growth ? both in capacity and demand ? so we've also invested in growing our staff. We now employ close to sixty people, and they all live locally with our referrers and our patients. With specialists in radiology, radiography, sonography and administration, our staff are trained and accredited professionals who pride themselves on providing you with personal care and attention.
Facility Accreditations
Quality in Practice Accreditation Program
Quality in Practice has awarded North Queensland X-Ray Services Stage 2 Accreditation in the areas of Radiological Imaging, Diagnostic Mammography, Bone Densitometry and Diagnostic Ultrasound. We are currently in the process of meeting the requirements to advance to full suite accreditation under the Diagnostic Imaging Accreditation Scheme.
Nuchal Translucency Accreditation
All sonographers performing Nuchal procedures have attended specialised training in Nuchal Translucency Ultrasound. This is in accordance with regulations set by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrics & Gynaecology (RANZCOG).
At present, five of our Sonographers are fully accredited while a third has completed the theoretical component of their training and is awaiting certification of their practical skills.
Dr Malcolm J Hudson is personally accredited and registered with the Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF), London, U.K. for the sonological reporting of Nuchal Translucency Ultrasound.
The continued registration of each Sonographer and Sonologist requires that their results be audited every six months. To ensure compliance with accreditation and audit requirements, our Sonographers use only the software provided by FMF for the interpretation of results.
Source: OESR Information Brief, Regional Population Growth: 2004-05. ABS 3218.0 Released 10:30am AEST, 23 February 2006.
Source: Queensland Government Population Projections 2003, Office of Economic and Statistical Research. Estimated population is as at 30 June 1997 and 30 June 2006 for the combined Northern and Far Northern Statistical Divisions as defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.