Teleradiology makes it possible for medical images (X-Rays, Ultrasounds, MRI) taken at one location to be transmitted and reviewed at another location by trained radiologists, to overcome the issues of cost, shortage of staff and provide expert advice, even in remote locations.
Outsourcing teleradiology services to countries such as India can significantly improve patient care by ensuring 24 hour service and quick turn-around time (because of different time zones). In India, the number of radiologists is limited, while the number of scans to be reviewed is continually on the rise. An outsourcing company can fix the gap by hiring experienced radiologists in offshore locations to review the scans and provide reports. It also frees up time for the resident radiologists who can review the reports on the subsequent day.
Outsourcing teleradiology services has the following benefits
Available 24*7
Having a service provider with 24*7*365 days service can relieve the resident radiologists from working nights and thereby reducing the scope of error. With 24 hour support services, the radiologists are free from being on-call at night. Turn-around time is quicker, as weekend and holiday support is also available.
Improving the format of reports
Sometimes, especially if you are dealing with a specialized practice, it is not possible to find radiologists with your sub-specialty in the location. Teleradiology gives you access to super specialist radiologists without having them on your panel. When dealing with experienced service providers and specialized staff, they can provide invaluable advise on improving report formats and help you with a standardized form that is widely accepted across the world.
Quick completion of priority cases
If your hospital or clinic receives a lot of accident cases or urgent cases, especially at night, teleradiology can ensure quick completion of priority cases because of the availability of round-the-clock service. Imaging results can be instantaneously shared through a DICOM viewer for faster diagnosis. It is also possible to communicate and take a second opinion from a specialist for priority cases without having to visit the specialist physically.
Cost Effective
Outsourcing teleradiology services can be extremely cost effective for hospitals, clinics and even private practitioners:
- Increased medical facilities without the need to increase staff.
- 24/7 service at much lower costs.
- No need for radiologists to travel, as images can be transferred to any location with the teleradiology facility. It also saves the cost of printing images or packaging and posting them as images are shared online.
- Quick access to high-quality reports and consultations, while limiting overheads.
If you have decided to outsource teleradiology services, always choose a HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) compliant teleradiology service provider, employing trained and certified radiologists.
