Teleradiology for Auction: The Radiologist Commoditized and How to Prevent It

摘要

Many radiology thought leaders have been warning for some time that although some aspects of teleradiology can offer benefits, there is a serious risk that it is driving the commoditi-zation of the radiology profession [1-5]. A commodity is defined as anything for which there is demand but that is supplied without qualitative differentiation across a market . Given that most imaging is electronic and can be networked for remote interpretation anywhere, anytime, many see it as inevitable, some even appropriate, that it is only a matter of time before conventional market forces reduce imaging services and radiologists to a commoditized product. Indeed, radiologists have been complicit in this trend, with more than 50% of radiology groups now outsourcing their off-hours imaging . Some radiology stakeholders have in turn been asking what value do on-site radiologists bring to daytime reads if they are only too willing to outsource their off-hours responsibilities .