To say the pandemic had an impact on medical imaging specialists and the radiology department as a whole would be an understatement. When the pandemic hit, radiologists immediately began adopting technologies that allowed them to work in relative safety. These telehealth solutions were new to some, while others already had years of experience with them. Regardless of the situation, it’s clear that telehealth solutions such as teleradiology are here to stay.
While the pandemic put a hold on elective procedures, hospitals are busy again with patients taking care of health-related issues. This means that imaging centers and radiology departments are once again in full swing or near capacity. Telehealth appointments are a strong part of the strategy for easing the workflow.
Soaring Growth
Teleradiology technology had already proven vastly beneficial prior to the pandemic, but by April of last year, there was a massive amount of growth in teleradiology implementation across the U.S. Virtual tools helped radiologists do their jobs remotely. Some hospitals, had become privy to the benefits of telehealth and had already adopted teleradiology so many radiologists had home workstations that would allow them to quickly and easily go over exams.
One of the worries in developing a mass implementation project is that the PACS will not hold up. Fortunately, there are cloud-based solutions that can ease the burden on PACS, including “cloud PACS” that ease the workload for on-site IT personnel and put it on the cloud PACS vendor, which is often more equipped to provide the manpower required.
Improving Care
Teleradiology comes with the benefit of improved communication, which assists in improving patient care. For example, some hospitals have begun using their teleradiology technology’s virtual communication tools to establish board meetings where physicians and specialists can consult on cases or even discuss issues that are relevant to the day or week and give them the insights they need to better treat their patients.
There can be a learning curve with establishing teleradiology as a critical step in image management. Partnering with the right telehealth provider can make a big difference. Some teleradiology providers are lacking when it comes to visibility. Their customers often find themselves wondering where their exams are and when they will come back to them. This isn’t the case with OffSite Image Management and our TeleRAD360 solution.
At OffSite, we approach telehealth differently. Our teleradiology solution makes communication easy and offers complete visibility into every step in the process. Our clients are never wondering where their exams are, because they’re notified step by step.
For more information about how you can improve your ability to provide leading telehealth services to your patients, contact us today.
