Radiologist shortage leaves patients facing imaging delays at upward of 2 weeks in 1 state
The radiologist shortage is forcing patients in Michigan to face weeks-long delays for diagnostic imaging, according to a report published April 28.
This has led to some individuals hitting online forums to express frustration about delayed test results, the Detroit News reported. Numerous hospitals are grappling with unfilled positions and exam backlogs, Michigan Hospital Association CEO Brian Peters told the news outlet.
"Demand for imaging services is increasing across the country, creating longer worklists for radiology staff at the same time the healthcare system is experiencing a workforce shortage in radiology," Peters said. “The combination of vacancies and increased demand can force imaging delays measured from days to upwards of two weeks.”
There are currently more than 1,800 open physician roles on the American College of Radiology’s job board, as imaging demand continues to outpace the supply of specialists. Between 2007 and 2021, the number of diagnostic radiologists decreased 1% while U.S. residents per active member of the specialty swelled 10%, the report noted. Despite reports of growing imaging demand, the number of diagnostic radiologists fell 2.4% during the five years ending in 2021 while the tally of first-year radiologist residents and fellows fell 7.2%, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Detroit area hospitals Corewell Health and Henry Ford estimated that radiology staffing is about 10% below optimal levels. But they’ve worked to weather the shortage by bolstering local recruiting, adding more radiology residency slots and offering current staffers work-from-home perks.
“We do a lot of volunteer, extra shifts and things like that,” Henry Ford radiologist Daniel T. Myers, MD, said. “People are pitching in and we've been able to maintain patient care and patient turnaround on the reports, so there's no exorbitantly long delays on getting your results."
Experts interviewed for the article highlighted teleradiology as one way to address the shortage. However, this option has left many hospitals competing with remote-only providers that allow Michigan rads to service out-of-state patients.
Radiologists took to social media on Tuesday to discuss this and other points made in the story.
“Those hospitals should consider paying their radiologists higher wages and they wouldn’t have job vacancies,” wrote Ned Holman, MD, a neuroradiologist based in Anchorage, Alaska. “Right now they’re skimming too much of the radiologist’s production and killing their golden goose. Will admins…ever realize what they’re doing?”
“We've been super fortunate at [the University of Mississippi Medical Center Department of Radiology] with innovative coverage and committed faculty and trainees that about 90% of our studies have a final report with 2 hours of exam completion,” added Rich Duszak, MD, who chairs the department.
“Based on lots of conversations at recent national radiology meetings, such delays are becoming the norm in more and more markets,” he wrote in a separate message.
Read the rest of the story from the Detroit News here (subscription required):
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.