el hierro mri scanner first

El Hierro gets first MRI scanner, ending patient trips to Tenerife

End of an era for patient referrals

The Hospital Nuestra Señora de los Reyes on El Hierro has introduced its first MRI scanner, putting an end to the annual pilgrimage of around 700 patients to Tenerife for this type of diagnostic test. The new equipment, unveiled on Thursday by Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo and Health Minister Esther Monzón, marks a significant step forward for healthcare on the island, bringing a service that has long been in high demand to the local population.

New service already in action

Since becoming operational, the scanner has already carried out around 40 studies. It will now handle 95% of all MRI cases on El Hierro, drastically reducing the need to refer patients to the main referral hospital in Tenerife. Only those requiring highly complex scans or very specialised treatments will continue to be treated off-island.

Significant reduction in patient travel

The figures highlight the impact of the new service. In 2025, a total of 760 patients from El Hierro had to travel to Tenerife for an MRI scan, while between January and May this year the number had already reached 299. With the new machine up and running, the vast majority of these tests can now be performed at the Hospital Nuestra Señora de los Reyes itself, eliminating journeys, cutting waiting times, and improving quality of life for patients and their families.

New annexe and further investment

The MRI scanner has been installed in a new annexe to the hospital, a near-400-square-metre extension designed to boost the centre’s capacity. As well as housing the new diagnostic imaging equipment, the building includes space for multi-purpose consultations, a reception area, waiting room, lecture hall, and other facilities to improve the organisation of healthcare activity. Plans are also in place to install an orthopantomography machine to further strengthen the hospital’s diagnostic services.

Launching the service required an investment of €1.2 million to acquire and install the MRI scanner, with the cost of constructing the new annexe adding a further €1.1 million. In total, the project represents a public investment of more than €2.3 million aimed at strengthening the diagnostic capacity of El Hierro’s health area.

Fulfilling a historic demand

During the presentation, the President of the Canary Islands stressed that the introduction of this equipment responds to a long-standing demand from the people of El Hierro and will allow patients to access an essential diagnostic test without leaving the island. The Health Minister added that, once the new building was completed in March, a specific training period was carried out for the professionals in charge of operating the machine, which has now begun providing services as normal.

Strengthening healthcare on the smaller islands

The arrival of the MRI scanner represents another step in strengthening public healthcare on the non-capital islands, where historically many specialised tests and treatments have forced patients to travel to larger hospitals. With this new resource, El Hierro improves its healthcare capacity, reduces the inequalities stemming from its insularity, and provides faster, more local access to a fundamental diagnostic technique used to detect and monitor numerous conditions. The expectation is that the new service will help streamline care, improve patient comfort, and reinforce the autonomy of the Hospital Nuestra Señora de los Reyes, fulfilling a long-awaited infrastructure need for the island’s population.

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