Can you recall the last shift during which you spent close to 100% of your time on clinical duties?

I can. It was my last shift. I had no administrative obligations, no committee meetings, no software glitches, no running around trying to find a physician or tech—just eyes on images and voice into the mic.

Medical malpractice claims are a significant source of anxiety for all radiologists. Unfortunately, decisions made in the heat of the moment, with the absolute best intentions, can still land a specialist in court.

It’s been two and a half years since I realized the pressures of work had been getting the better of me for too long. I needed to make a change. The prime source of my duress was an unrelenting and constantly expanding radiology worklist.

At some point in your career, if you are lucky, you find somebody approachable who’s blazed trails and navigated difficulties in ways you can model. I can speak to this because I was fortunate enough to meet a humble high achiever who not only inspires me but also took an interest in helping me along. Her guidance has made all the difference to me—personally as well as professionally.

Whoever said the only things certain in life are death and taxes never faced an MQSA inspection. Federally mandated in the early ’90s and delegated to the states ever since, the process can seem like a frenetic exercise in reprimand avoidance. However, with a little rethinking and some focused preparation, you can turn the stressful day into an enjoyable experience.

In radiology, it is vital for radiologists to connect with the entire patient care team in a seamless and timely manner. Imaging providers have done this over the years through such tools as land lines, pagers, fax machines and integrating with the electronic medical record (EMR). Some radiology practices even have their own secure client portal for this very purpose.

Imaging providers are continuously filling holes in their radiologist coverage schedule. Maybe the only neuroradiologist is out sick, for example, or two-thirds of the staff all want to attend the same conference.

vRad is the world’s largest teleradiology provider, with more than 500 general and subspecialty-trained teleradiologists who read up to 20,000 exams every day. One of the primary drivers behind the company’s success is its continued investment in AI technology. What can this state-of-the-art technology do for radiologists? How can it improve patient care? These are just some of the questions vRad’s team considers on a daily basis.