Some Saskatchewan residents are crossing the U.S. border to receive health care services that can't be obtained within a reasonable time frame at home.

When Weyburn resident Bernelle Lutz was told she had osteoporosis three years ago, she wanted to find out what stage the disease was in, or in short, how much bone mass she had left. This way, she would know her starting point and get an idea of how effective her treatment was in preventing further loss.

"Once you're diagnosed, you can make an informed decision as to whether you can wait or whether you have to get something done about it right away," she said. "My medicine was very expensive and not covered by the drug plan, and I wanted to see if it was working."

She and her husband Ron, a board member for the South Central Health District, were told by her specialist that it wasn't worth the wait to have a bone density test. At that time, she was told she would have to wait over a year for the service.

According to Bernelle, her doctor told her about a place in Bismark, N.D., that could give her a bone density test right away. She went there and paid about $400 Canadian for the service. When it was time the following year, she went to Minot where she found the test available for half the price and closer to home.

"What I found when I went to both places, particularly Minot, was that they were so nice and accommodating," she said, adding that the hospital and hotel she was using offer free rides to and from hospital as well as special room rates for those with medical appointments.

"It was just amazing. I got right in and they did a full bone density, from top to bottom. The doctor was so pleasant and had time to talk and this made such a difference to me. I was pleased and will go back in another year to check on it," she said.

"In Minot, it took three days to get in for a bone density test," she said. "That fact is that we have a two-tier health system right now. People are going and paying for what they can't get done here."

Bernelle says she knows several Weyburn residents who go out of the province for bone density tests. She was given the distinct impression that the service industry at Minot found it common to deal with Canadians there for medical reasons.

A spokesperson for Trinity Hospital in Minot confirms that some business is going south.

Randy Schwann of Trinity Marketing says that it has been a trend for Canadians to demand diagnostic tests for the past two years, with numbers remaining stable over that period. Since January 1, roughly 75 Canadians have traveled to Trinity Hospital for services. Of American centres offering medical services, Minot is one of the closest to Weyburn.

"Bone density scans, diagnostic MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging), and some ultrasound and x-rays are most popular with Canadians," said Schwann. "People are having trouble getting these on a timely basis up there. For one reason or another they don't want to wait. The cost is typically borne out of pocket. I don't think the actual numbers are up alarmingly, though."

Ron Lutz says he is frustrated by the thousands of dollars that are going over the border for services that could be more readily available in Saskatchewan. Lutz says he has talked to Health Minister Janice Atkinson and other politicians about this and says more should be done to find out exactly how much money is being lost this way.

"I have been pushing for a bone density machine here, but I was told that it was hard to get training for it," said Lutz. "I asked a registered nurse and she said it takes two days and that any radiologist can read the x-rays."

Lutz would like to see more diagnostic machines in Saskatchewan and to see existing ones operated for more hours per day, in keeping with demand.

Lee Spencer, CEO of South Central Health District, says that Lutz and the district itself have tried to get bone density services in Weyburn, but have had no results as yet.