Teleradiology is the transmission of radiology images (X-rays, CTs, and MRIs) from one location to another for the purposes of sharing studies. It is a fairly new technology that has evolved along with the creation and availability of the internet. The following are a few ways teleradiology solutions make a positive impact in radiology workflow.
Reduced Radiology Costs
One of the biggest cost (and time) wasters for radiologists is travel. Teleradiology solutions however, cut out the need for travel. It allows the radiologist to work from anywhere that is most convenient and cost-efficient.
Teleradiology also cuts the costs associated with printing and sharing medical images. Teleradiology harnesses the internet for uploading and sharing of images, so there is no need to buy or supply cds, dvds, film, packaging and postage. Those items individually might cost little, but combined over time they are expensive and wasteful.
Immediate Medical Imaging Results
Since teleradiology solutions eliminate the need for film, cds, dvds, and mailing, the radiologist and reading physician have immediate access to the images over the internet.
Improved Healthcare Access in Rural Areas
Since teleradiology solutions are web-based, their geographical reach is almost limitless. All a technologist needs is a mobile device and internet access. Even the most rural and remote communities in the U.S. have these basic requirements.
With this increased reach to rural healthcare facilities comes the opportunity for more technologists and staff to be employed at these sites. Technician jobs no longer have to be based solely in a large city or large hospital. Even the smallest doctors’ offices can have a trained technologist on staff who can take the image and share it with a radiologist or specialist somewhere else.
Improved access to rural areas is not only limited to the U.S. In fact, Studycast was recently used by a team conducting screenings on patients in Rwanda. Technicians on-site in Africa performed the screenings and those images were shared with doctors back in the U.S. for analysis.
More Competitive Radiology Program
Hospitals have probably the most to gain from teleradiology solutions. Any hospital, from a small community hospital to a large referral hospital can benefit from the strategic use teleradiology solutions. Reduced radiology costs, immediate imaging results, and improved access all make a hospital more competitive.
Studycast is on the frontier of diagnostic testing workflow solutions. Traditional methods for transmitting radiology studies could take up to an hour, while Studycast studies can be transmitted in five minutes or less. All study data is transmitted along with the images and is automatically populated into Worksheets.
Learn more about how Studycast’s teleradiology solution can work for your practice.
