AI Will Change Radiology, but It Won’t Replace Radiologists

Recent advances in artificial intelligence have led to speculation that AI might one day replace human radiologists. Researchers have developed deep learning neural networks that can identify pathologies in radiological images such as bone fractures and potentially cancerous lesions, in some cases more reliably than an average radiologist. For the most part, though, the best systems are currently on par with human performance and are used only in research settings.

 Anywhere, anytime: 5 key findings from a new survey on teleradiology

Telemedicine makes more and more of an impact on healthcare in the United States with each passing year, and teleradiology is certainly an important part of that trend. But how common is teleradiology today? Do radiologists appreciate its potential or have any concerns?

 Most of the World Doesn't Have Access to X-Rays

The World Health Organization estimates that two-thirds of the planet does not have access to basic radiology services: simple x-rays, which can show a cracked bone or lung infection, and ultrasounds, which use sound waves to picture a growing fetus, track blood flow, or guide a biopsy.

 Tackling Radiologist Burnout through Teleradiology

Now, the term “teleradiology” is more accurately described as “virtual radiology” as we’re seeing the clinical services outsourcing business model move from being used mostly for off-hours, subspecialty areas, or individual imaging remote procedures to enabling a 24x7 connected, comprehensive and cost-effective global approach both within a network and outside that is transforming delivery of care.

 Why You Should Not Use CDs To Transfer Patient Images

Between 10 and 25 percent of transferred medical images are sent from one site to another electronically, according to Panner. By comparison, large U.S. medical facilities routinely share a quarter million or more CDs per year, he said: “So, with hundreds of significant institutions in the United States, you are talking about millions of CDs being moved by ‘sneakernet’ every year.” The practice stirs memories of the bygone days of medical film, when patients borrowed copies or even originals of their images from film libraries, then transported them to providers at other locations. Occasionally these films were lost or damaged. The same can happen to CDs. Additionally, CDs are prone to interoperability issues, which can cause headaches, particularly among receiving sites.

Beware predatory practices in teleradiology

With increased competition, the relationship between radiology groups and teleradiology providers is beginning to change. In the past, teleradiology companies offered a value-added service that allowed radiology groups to provide continuous coverage using a cost-effective business model. As the market matured, however, a handful of teleradiology providers sought new sources of funding and alternative modes of growth.

Learning Curve: Making the Most of Outsourcing

The outsourced radiologist Some parts of the teleradiology model closely resemble outsourcing in industries like electronics, business processes, or software development. The health-care customer—typically a hospital—sees the need for a service that is reasonably well defined, but it can't provide the service at an efficient scale. Service providers see an opportunity to consolidate this volume, achieving the scale required to provide the service efficiently for a wide range of customers.

Radiology Unleashed: 3 Reasons the Time is Right for Remote Reading

Teleradiology and its enabling technologies were initially hailed simply for facilitating after-hours emergency consults and allowing radiologists to avoid overnight calls. Nearly three decades later, teleradiology is expected to be an $8.24 billion business by 2024, offering flexible work options for radiologists and providing care and expertise to underserved outlying areas.

Teleradiology platforms: the business case for blockchain

Teleradiology is ripe for blockchain. Healthcare image diagnosis and treatment is based on trust; It could be based on truth. Let’s explore how.

The Rising Acceptance of Teleradiology

The field has changed so much so that some say teleradiology is emerging as its own specialty, separate from diagnostic radiology. Add the narrowing salary gap between teleradiology and diagnostic imaging, and it’s a field that’s coming out of its cocoon and spreading its wings.

Top 6 Trends in Teleradiology

There are a host of features and technological advancements which are going to cause a paradigm shift in the way business is conducted when it comes to Teleradiology, while ensuring better patient care and overall customer satisfaction.

Uber and Us: Radiology and On Demand Platforms, with Commentary from Dr Heilman

Teleradiology companies are on-demand platforms. A decade before the arrival of Uber, teleradiology companies repackaged one set of peoples’ needs (on-site radiology groups needing overnight coverage) into another set of peoples’ tasks (remote teleradiologists reading overnight imaging studies and faxing back preliminary reports). Soon thereafter, teleradiology companies upgraded their network capabilities to enable teleradiologists to issue final reports.