A group of family doctors is opening up the city's first private ultrasound clinic, which should shorten the time patients wait for non-urgent scans.

Dr. Jason O'Connell with the Aberdeen Clinic said Thursday the clinic is in the design state and is tentatively scheduled to open in early June.

The group is already affiliated with an X-ray clinic at Aberdeen mall; the addition of the ultrasounds means a move within the shopping centre into a bigger space on the top floor across from Dolson's Source for Sports.

"Obviously, we've identified there's a dire need within the community," he said.

While emergency ultrasounds get done quickly, those that aren't pressing can be scheduled nine months or longer down the road.

O'Connell said the initial start-up will include four ultrasounds, but there will be room to expand.

"We've completed the design phase and we're moving into construction in the next few weeks," he said.

The clinic is privately owned, but will be run in conjunction with ultrasound services at Royal Inland Hospital and will be covered by the Medical Services Plan, so patients won't be charged.

"Family physicians on the front line are frustrated with the delays and anxiety with patients for their ultrasounds within this community," said O'Connell.

"There's a need in the community."

Dr. Jim Bilbey, chief radiologist at RIH, said he and the hospital support the new ultrasound clinic because it will improve patient services.

RIH has seven ultrasound machines but a shortage of sonographers is contributing to the lengthening wait times.

Currently, patients who face long waits in Kamloops are given the option to travel to a private clinic in Vernon for their non-urgent ultrasounds.

Bilbey said the Aberdeen Clinic has agreed to a two-year moratorium to not hire or recruit sonographers from RIH. Those who are working part-time can be offered extra shifts there.

Having the second clinic in town could help with recruitment efforts to attract sonographers, he added.

"They're going to have good equipment and a good setting for technologists," he said.

"The radiologists support this, the medical staff is excited to finally have a good ultrasound service to deal with the volumes."