For healthcare providers that lacked the services to allow radiologists to work remotely, the COVID-19 pandemic has provided the push to look into these solutions. As the pandemic ramped up, healthcare providers began to look into teleradiology services as a way to stay effective while protecting employees. This is not only a solution for today’s concerns but could also be important for the future.
Even without a pandemic altering everyone’s work/life routine, teleradiology services offer many advantages. While the intent or driving force pushing the technology now has to do with reducing radiologists’ exposure to COVID-19, the following are some of the biggest advantages during non-pandemic times:
- Options for the Workforce
Radiologists often work under large caseloads, making it necessary to put in long hours in front of the viewer at the office. With teleradiology services, they can view those images from anywhere and not have to face the risk of burnout due to being in the office all the time. - Better for the Patient
Teleradiology gives healthcare professionals the ability to send patient images to conferring physicians, which means the patient doesn’t have to be transferred, causing less discomfort for the patient, not to mention expediating the care process. - Education Tool
Because images can be accessed/shared so easily, teleradiology becomes an education tool, giving radiology professionals the ability to go over images with students or professionals who are continuing their education.
According to a recent article in Radiology Business, several healthcare institutions are realizing the potential of teleradiology, including New York University Langone Health, which is using the technology to allow a “significant number” of employees to work remotely, which is particularly important for workers who have traveled to high-risk areas.
The article also cites the University of Washington Medicine in Seattle, one of the first epicenters where the pandemic took root, for giving radiology faculty the isolation they need to work from home. Furthermore, coders, billers and schedulers are also tapping into the technology from home, limiting their need to be on site and at risk.
What many healthcare providers are learning now is that technology that was already available is going to be an advantage to them, regardless of pandemic risks. Once life gets back to normal, they’ll likely utilize these teleradiology resources to continue to boost workflow efficiency and provide better patient care.
At OffSite Image Management, we’re proudly serving many customers who are keeping their staff safe and their patients in great hands through our TeleRad360 service. We call it a 360-degree solution because it offers integrated RIS imaging worklist management, voice recognition, report distribution, cloud diagnostic viewing and is completely mobile. Furthermore, TeleRad360 requires no hardware or software for the customer – OffSite provides everything required in a cloud-based solution. Contact us and find out more about how you can utilize the power of our TeleRad360.