Medical imaging volumes took a nosedive as COVID-19 led to non-essential services being put on a long wait. A recent poll from QuickPoLL shows that the imaging volumes are now holding steady, which to some, could be a sign that busier days are ahead of us.
MRI, CT and portable X-ray study volumes began showing an uptick in May, but those numbers have remained steady rather than continue an upward climb. Many radiologists who took part in QuickPoLL’s survey believe there will be a medical imaging services surge coming soon and say they will deal with the rush of exams through extended hours of operation.
It’s also relevant that 45% of those asked said they are seeing a surge happening right now, so there is no waiting – they’re dealing with a higher than usual number of people seeking out elective medical imaging services. Workflow efficiency has to be at the forefront, especially as remote work is still an important component, and not everyone is ready to manage an increased number of exams efficiently.
Teleradiology’s Place in the Market
The American College of Radiology (ACR) came out with some recommendations for radiologists dealing with the pandemic in a remote situation. Teleradiology has been around long before the pandemic, which is why the ACR relied heavily on a 2013 white paper on the subject. A majority of those same principles still are true for this time.
The ACR notes that there is a need for physician-to-physician communication to better tend to patient needs, which means there needs to be tools in place, preferably built into the workstations, that facilitate this action. There are also some HIPAA regulations to consider when discussing patient cases via popular meeting solutions, such as Skype and Zoom. When utilizing the right teleradiology solution, these steps will all be accounted for.
One of the general principles in the paper states that teleradiology should be a way to get around workforce shortages, which is undoubtedly true for rural areas where workforce issues have been a common theme for years. Furthermore, the general principle says that teleradiology shouldn’t reduce the patient care quality, which means if you’re utilizing the services of a top quality provider, that shouldn’t be a problem.
OffSite’s Technology
At OffSite Image Management, we developed TeleRad 360 and have helped healthcare providers gain more visibility while seeking telemedicine solutions. We believe in the power of visibility because it empowers radiologists, imaging facilities, urgent care centers and hospitals.
But there’s a lot more than just visibility – TeleRad 360 offers reporting tools that allow you to import directly into the local EMR or deliver electronically to any destinations via HL7. Analytics are also built-in, which means you can take a new approach to planning and strategic analysis. Find out more about our tools for managing the surge here.
