San Diego, CA- January 20th, 2022
Why Turn to Teleradiology?
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it had an unprecedented impact on many radiology departments and private practices around the world. Significant fluctuation in volumes put radiology practices at financial risk though it also brought to the surface an even more important factor not always discussed openly in the medical field; the physical and mental well-being of doctors entrusted to patient care. The pandemic had a huge impact on the way medical professionals were dealing with the stress related to the unknown. As physicians and healthcare teams work during the pandemic, the way they take care of themselves has never been so important. Medical professionals who were experiencing burnout prior to the pandemic are now even more vulnerable. Many radiologists turned to teleradiology, after not being able to work in hospitals and wanting to be safe with their families.
The Benefits of Teleradiology
The flexibility of teleradiology is the appeal for most radiologists, being able to work from home and having a schedule fit to their needs. An increasing number of trainees have started to see teleradiology as a smarter career choice for their families, as the demands and risks associated with being onsite can be removed with working remote. Among the boom in telemedicine, teleradiology is now prominently used to provide patient care by allowing radiologists to work from anywhere at any time.
Teleradiology vs. Onsite Radiology
Radiology practices use teleradiology among themselves or will outsource their call to other remote vendors. Hospitals and patients benefit as teleradiology allows different hospitals to have a timely and subspecialized access to a radiologist, who can function like being on-site. Many teleradiologists use a centralized PACS system to enable reading patient studies from multiple sites of care. The teleradiology field is growing for multiple reasons:
- Many local practices struggle to staff on location and utilize teleradiology rather than recruit new radiologists
- Increasing emergency department volumes
- Increasing demand from hospital administration for around the clock specialized care
- Increasing pressure for final reads and not preliminary
Conclusion
Many hospitals have now switched to a hybrid of onsite and teleradiology, which allows for daytime onsite radiologists and remote evening radiologists. This ensures balanced workloads and quicker service. Most teleradiology companies provide coverage for the second and third shift, expanded weekend, and vacation coverage. Radiology has been a front runner in the digital transformation of healthcare with the introduction of PACS and now teleradiology continues the trend by defining the telemedicine space.
Interested in a career in teleradiology? Learn more at https://www.statrad.com/jobs/
About StatRad
With over 25 years of experience providing quality reads, quick TATs, and customized workflows, StatRad is a true partner you can count on to provide excellent patient care and teleradiology services. Contact us today to learn why StatRad is the best teleradiology provider for you!
References
- Joe Constance, AuntMinnie.com contributing writer. “What Has Radiology Learned from the Covid-19 Pandemic?” AuntMinnie.com, AuntMinnie.com, 16 June 2021, https://www.auntminnie.com/index.aspx?sec=log&itemid=132648
- “Working in Radiology Associated with Higher Levels of Burnout amid Pandemic, Large Survey Finds.” Radiology Business, 4 Nov. 2021, https://www.radiologybusiness.com/topics/leadership-workforce/radiology-higher-levels-burnout-pandemic-covid-19
- “Teleradiology a Perfect Fit for Radiologists after Residency-Whether They Pursue a Fellowship or Not.” Radiology Business, 22 Dec. 2021, https://www.radiologybusiness.com/sponsored/1065/topics/medical-imaging-review/teleradiology-perfect-fit-radiologists-after-residency.