Demands on medical imaging services continue to ramp up. This has been the catalyst for many in the radiology profession to address reshaping the way they provide services.
From grasping digitization to managing new file types due to implementing new technology or just because of the influx of patients, medical imaging professionals have been under high caseloads for some time now. They are looking for more efficient ways of approaching their workflow so they can deliver better patient care. Can looking deeper into the radiology workflow and adopting teleradiology be the solution?
More Scans, More Disruptions
Disruptions in the workflow don’t have to be an unavoidable consequence of heavier caseloads. To ease the flow, there must be more energy directed at system utilization. In order to meet challenges head-on, an audit of every step in the medical imaging process needs to be carried out. This includes everything from scheduling exams to moving every file associated with an exam to electronic health records.
An audit such as this can help establish protocols that have meaning and can actually drive improvements by eliminating inefficiencies. Are there imaging systems that aren’t getting as much use as others? Are you saddled with old technology and is there a more efficient system that you can implement? These are questions that can be answered following an audit.
Teleradiology Offerings
Teleradiology is not new, but there are newer approaches to this method of delivering imaging services that can dramatically impact a radiology department. First and foremost, imaging specialists using outdated teleradiology platforms are quite familiar with the lack of accountability that comes with using that system. Advanced teleradiology systems address the accountability issue well.
The key to accountability is visibility. That’s what the best vendors of teleradiology are offering. This includes being able to change the priority of an exam, seeing exactly where it is during the entire process and when it’s going to come back to you or to the specialists who rely on the findings to develop a treatment plan.
With accountability comes reliability, which means fewer workflow issues and a resolution of the usual stress factors that come with heavy caseloads.
Choosing the Right Vendor
Discussion surrounding teleradiology’s role in today’s demanding culture is that it is easing caseload issues. In order to actually see such results, you have to partner with the right vendor. Patient priority levels can change rapidly, which means you need a vendor who can offer the tools you need to adapt. If reporting is part of what’s clogging up your workflow, your vendor needs to be able to provide the means through which reporting is automated.
At OffSite Image Management, we offer TeleRad360, a comprehensive teleradiology solution that brings solutions to your ever-expanding caseload problems. Find out more about why we’re the go-to vendor of radiology solutions by contacting us today.
