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

Abstract

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 commoditization of the radiology profession [ 1 Gunderman R.B. Commodity or profession?. J Am Coll Radiol. 2008; 5: 540-543 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (12) Google Scholar , 2 Thrall J.H. Framing the issues. J Am Coll Radiol. 2008; 5: 687-688 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (1) Google Scholar , 3 Levin D.C. Rao V.M. Radiology's image problem: ponder the words of some thought leaders in the field. J Am Coll Radiol. 2008; 5: 616-618 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (5) Google Scholar , 4 Lexa F.J. Saving radiology: a modest proposal for branding and promoting our specialty in 2007. J Am Coll Radiol. 2007; 4: 208-210 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (4) Google Scholar , 5 Boland G.W.L. The radiology world is flat: problems or solutions for radiologists?. J Am Coll Radiol. 2007; 4: 754-757 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (8) Google Scholar ]. A commodity is defined as anything for which there is demand but that is supplied without qualitative differentiation across a market [ 6 Commodity http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodity Google Scholar ]. 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 [ 7 Boland G.W.L. Teleradiology coming of age: winners and losers. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2008; 190: 1161-1162 Crossref PubMed Scopus (32) Google Scholar ]. 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[ 7 Boland G.W.L. Teleradiology coming of age: winners and losers. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2008; 190: 1161-1162 Crossref PubMed Scopus (32) Google Scholar ].