The pandemic is still affecting many businesses, but as things begin to slowly open up, moving forward can mean different things depending on the industry. Many radiology industry experts say that even when restrictions related to the pandemic ease up and things have reached a new normal, it’s possible the radiology departments will be restricted and not back to a fully functioning unit for some time to come. Getting to that stage of full functionality will involve assessment, planning and judgement.
Communicating Effectively
Communication is also key to recovery. As more and more radiology services are allowed, it’s clear that communication will play a big role in planning for recovery. This should involve clearly defined objectives for patients, referrers and radiologists – everyone who plays a role in the workflow from start to finish.
Communication also means addressing problems you know you’re going to face and having the flexibility to evolve as you discover unexpected issues.
Offsite Technology
The new normal will likely mean continuing to offer some of the technology involved in the day-to-day workflow to remain mobile-friendly. It’s a great offering during times not only during a pandemic but also during more normal times of healthcare.
For example, radiology solutions residing in the cloud are mobile-friendly by nature. All the software and hardware is offsite, which means whenever you are, as long as you have an internet connection, you’re going to have your images and other data available to you.
This can be a huge bonus for on-call radiologists who, rather than coming back to the office to view images, can use their own device at home or on-the-go to look at the images. This is made possible through vendor neutral archiving technology, which means instead of studying images on proprietary machines, you can use your smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer.
The bonus is that if you’re currently using compact discs to store and share images, you can kick that cumbersome technology to the curb. With all images stored on secure servers, you’re only an internet connection away from full access to everything you or to send images to those who need to see them.
At OffSite Image Management, our solutions were providing radiologists with high-performing solutions long before the pandemic, and they’re helping healthcare providers position themselves for the new normal. Contact us and let’s discuss your options with us and how our technology will give you what you need to recover at a more productive rate.
