The profession of radiology has largely supported the basic notion behind enterprise imaging, aka EI: All medical images should be readily available to healthcare providers and patients across the care continuum.

Now that hospitals and health systems are finally maximizing the electronic health record, AGFA HealthCare North America President Mark Burgess wants to make sure that they’re not missing out on another critical digital element of connected care: enterprise imaging, including the company’s breakthrough technology enabling the Imaging Health Network™. Think of it as meaningful use taking on the efficient management of medical imaging.

The radiologists at San Luis Diagnostic Center, a multimodality outpatient facility in California, are happy to do it all: mammography, CT scans, ultrasound, X-rays, MRI, and more. There’s one aspect of their radiology practice that they’re excited to hand off, however: billing and negotiations with third-party payers. Especially now that they’re sure they’re getting paid for all of their exams and interpretations, and at a market rate.

Steve Jobs once famously said that you have to start with the customer experience and work backwards to the technology. I am a strong believer in this mantra as it serves imaging providers very well when we think of our radiologists as our “internal customers.” How can we create a better work experience? Where can we remove annoyances, eliminate distractions, or improve efficiency?  

Practicing in teleradiology is amazing, or it’s your worst nightmare.

How do I know? Because I’ve been in two telerad positions that couldn’t have been more different.

I’ll be honest, I had no plans to go into teleradiology straight from residency. However, I fell into it because economic conditions meant choices were slim as I started my career in 2014.

When it comes to breast imaging, a few new technologies have improved the visualization of lesions and diagnostic procedures. But a new modality could change the game completely.

In an increasingly complex and demanding world for radiologists—one in which the word “burnout” is so common that it’s almost become cliché—healthcare IT companies have the unique responsibility and opportunity to ease radiologists’ burdens by rising to address these momentous challenges.