OneMRI
Summary
OneMRI claims to be Australia’s largest full-body MRI clinic network. But is that a good thing?
Under the hood, OneMRI is not a “single” clinic but a company that profits on organising whole-body MRI scans through a network of partner imaging centres. Their selling point to the health consumer is making the process easier for individuals to book a full-body MRI scan — primarily in the way of not requiring a referral for their network of providers.
This “middle-man” style model has been seen before — most notably with Ezra in the United States. While it can remove booking friction, it also creates a layer between you and the actual imaging provider, which may can affect communication, quality control, and transparency.
Interestingly, this seemingly patient-focused provider is in fact a business-to-business model taking a cut from whole-body MRI scans referred to their network MRI providers. In exchange, these providers are happy to off-load the burden of whole-body MRI reporting (e.g. less risk), while reaping the benefit of VC investor marketing budget to fill their clinic bookings.
Furthermore, this offers a theoretical layer of AHPRA protection to the imaging clinic (yet to be tested), enabling the use of advertising styles traditionally forbidden among health-service providers (e.g. testimonials).
Conditions Detected
It is important to remember when comparing conditions detected, the use of numbers in counting the number of conditions is built for marketing purposes. However, the important metric is not the “number” of conditions, rather how early, and how accurately.
OneMRI says they can detect over 500 conditions from head to knees.
Regions covered include:
Brain & Nervous System
Metabolic Conditions (limited to conditions of the liver)
Spine and Musculoskeletal System (abbreviated at the knees)
Digestive System (it is important to note that all full-body MRIs are limited in the colon, and image quality in the pelvic region is impacted by normal gut motion)
Urinary System
Reproductive Organs (all full-body MRI providers are limited in their sensitivity in the prostate, as this particularly dense organ requires targeted imaging, with optimised scan protocols to reliably detect lesions in this organ).
This provider goes on to list specific conditions such as solid cancers, multiple sclerosis, cysts, haemangiomas, brain aneurysms, spinal degeneration.
These are typical of most full-body MRI providers, but the question remains: how early, and how accurately.
Technology
It is difficult to ascertain who the network proivders are, as only suburb and post code are provided on OneMRIs website.
Of those we have been able to deduced (e.g. CRT), scanner technologies appear to include 3T Siemens and GE.
As mentioned previously, the greatest risk in sub-optimal image quality in DWIBS (and increase risk in false positives) is the use of 3T platforms without the the ability to correct for distortion.
Not filling MRIQ with confidence is the sub-optimal STIR image / GIF that suffers from signal loss. Remember, the anatomical imaging is suppose to be the easy and “pretty” images.
That said, OneMRI doesn’t make any claims about having “advanced” technology as the point of difference, presumably as the point of difference stems with reduced friction for the client rather than imaging excellence. Mind you, this is business to business- partnering with corporate radiology which is focused on maintaining the narrative “all full-body MRI is the same” (which we know is not true).
Cost
The cost to the health consumer is $2990, at the time of writing. This positions itself on the cheaper end of whole-body MRI providers, but does include a Doctor consult to receive the results.
Experience & Scan Time
Like all screening, this scan is intended to be performed regularly to complement other screening tests recommended by your doctor. However, returning for a subsequent scan is very much dependent on the patient experience.
Following in the footsteps of Ezra, OneMRI will soon find out controlling for patient experience is difficult to do when expanding across Australia. Every provider has different customer service experience, technology and ambient experience.
OneMRI network clinics are likely to have ear plugs and headphones as mentioned on OneMRIs website. However, this fall short of other providers which have in-bore MRI Cinema (audio-visuals) for the optimal patient experience. (Remember a comfortable patient, is a still patient. A still patient offers better image quality).
Overall this lack of patient experience control remains in line with the true business model of operating a radiology business-to-business (B2B) rather being consumer focused.
There are no patient reviews of the OneMRI service available on the internet, aside from the curated testimonials on their website.
Radiologist Experience
This is a difficult one - as OneMRI does not list who the radiologist are. There is no information on whether radiologist are experienced in multi-organ cancer detection, nor whether they have full-body MRI reporting experience.
Radiologist experience is nearly as important as imaging capabilities, as together these influence sensitivity and accuracy of the scan.
Compare
It is difficult to compare OneMRI with other providers as even within network, scan providers will vary in their ability to accurate characterise lesions. Similar to Ezra, OneMRI may apply a standardised protocol; however, even so, manufactures have their strengths and weaknesses in image quality despite same sequences - especially when it comes to DWIBS.
Likewise, patient experience will vary between providers within the OneMRI network.
However, the one interesting aspect among known OneMRI network providers, such as CRT imaging (Southport, QLD), is that they do not advertise on their clinic website that they perform full-body MRI scans for OneMRI.
Furthermore, they do not mention whole-body MRI scans at all. Why?
OneMRI - MRIQ Score
| Criterion | Weight (out of 19) | Score (0–10) | Weighted Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| DWIBS & Imaging Capabilities | 5 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Radiologist Experience & Reporting | 4 | 2 | 0.8 |
| Comprehensive Imaging | 4 | 1 | 0.4 |
| Patient Experience | 3 | 1 | 0.3 |
| Transparency & Clarity | 3 | 3 | 0.9 |
| Total | 19 | – | 3.4 / 19 |
MRIQ Recommendation
OneMRI scored 3.4 / 19.
OneMRI is a business-to-business model similar to Ezra in the United States. The business model does not appear to promote factor or value quality, rather is focused on deriving profit by reducing friction for the patient to book without a referral.
MRIQ does not recommend this imaging network model, as it diminishes patients’ autonomy while perpetuating the misleading idea that all full-body MRI services are equivalent.