Teleradiology and How it is Evolving
Is teleradiology struggling or is it increasingly an efficient means for handling exams and offering
an easy workflow? The answer differs depending on whom you ask.
Some believe the market for teleradiology services is shrinking. Part of the reason, according to some CEOs of image management companies, is that many teleradiology companies are privately held, and those with shares in the company are looking for a return on their investment, most often within a five year period. This leads them to look for contracts that are directly with hospitals, putting pressure on smaller image management groups to grow, perhaps beyond their capabilities, if they want to compete.
On the other side of the coin we have healthcare professionals who address the fact that many providers are facing increases in costs in various places, including image management, which can be alleviated by teleradiology. With teleradiology, assistance reading exams can be available at all hours of the day and on holidays thanks to big practices that have the convenience of a large pool of professionals to interpret studies.
What most can agree on is that the typical radiology model looks much like an assembly line of radiologists who read studies as fast as possible. It becomes a volume methodology because the per-unit reimbursement is rather low. This leads to a lower quality result in the interpretation of the image.
Another area that most radiology professionals can agree upon is that their efforts in evaluating exams have essentially been devalued. It’s possible that in the eyes of some, teleradiologists are out of sight and out of mind.
There is significant value in having an on-site radiologist, due in part to their communication abilities. Too many teleradiology exams go out with no recourse for updating the importance of one exam over another. Many studies go out with no workflow alert, which means there can be no expectation as to when those results will be returned. With an on-site radiologist, this is not an issue.
Society is connected 24/7 via the Internet, social media and other means of communication. It’s only natural that more insight enters into the teleradiology industry, more accountability, more control and better access. Is there an excuse for not having a more productive workflow?
At OffSite Image Management, Inc., we’ve developed TeleRad360 to bring more accountability to the industry. Our new platform is the answer for hospitals and image centers who have suffered the problems associated with sending exams out to “nowhere” with no means for tracking it. With TeleRad360, you’ll know what is happening with your exam every step of the way. Contact us today and let’s talk about how you can save money and improve your process.