Tele-Radiology: WIP

Given the multitude of software providers, there is likely to be consolidation amongst the technology providers to deliver efficiencies

- Dr Bharat Aggarwal & Parthasarathy Basu

It was 12 PM. Asmita Devi was advised MRCP by her doctor at a reputed setup in a tier-II town where she had travelled 50 kms from her village early morning to visit the doctor. Her doctor had referred her to Shanti Imaging Centre, which he said would help her give the report the same day since she had nowhere to stay. She was not sure of getting the report the same day after seeing the rush at the centre, but surprisingly the report came in by 6 PM. She showed the report to the referring doctor, got her medicines as per diagnosis and then was able to catch the last bus to her village.

Where Tele-radiology is used

The above event is among the many problems that Tele-radiology is solving today. We call these events as ‘TAT constrained events’. Shanti Imaging Centre was able to get the report out in time by leveraging the help of Tele-radiology Service where the Teleradiology Service Provider (TSP) facilitated the availability of spare radiologist capacity to provide services to the underserved areas. Today, Tele-radiology as a concept is picking up in various scenarios as shown below:

1. A hospital network leveraging radiologists at one centre to read studies from other centre.

2. A diagnostic chain with network of imaging centres replicating the above.

3. Government hospitals requesting Tele-reporting services for their district hospitals via PPP.

4. Private radiologists looking for a stable, affordable reporting back-up.

5. Second opinion services – either taken by a diagnostic chain or a retail customer.