Radiologists dedicate center as senior 'safe haven,' imaging patients 55 and up
Radiology providers across the globe are being forced to get creative to keep their doors open and care delivered. One imaging center is even going as far as only serving certain age groups for the foreseeable future until the pandemic’s cloud lifts.
Australia-based Exact Radiology Clinics announced Tuesday that its dedicating one of its centers exclusively to the imaging of patients age 55 and older. The business said it wanted to provide a “safe haven for seniors” who are more at-risk for harm from COVID-19, but still need their services urgently.
“Seniors are rightfully feeling extremely vulnerable at this time,” radiologist and manager partner Peter Dunn, MD, said in a March 31 statement. “We were deeply concerned that they felt they had no safe place to go and were neglecting important and potentially life-saving investigations.”
The center is located in the town of Newstead, Queensland, and has immediately started screening all patients for possible exposure to coronavirus before entering. Patients will have the option to sit in their cars outside, rather than in the waiting room, while waiting their turn. Exact Radiology said it will offer the full gamut of care, including x-ray, ultrasound, mammography, CT and MRI.
Dunn added that they’re also encouraging patients to consult with their providers to determine if any imaging work can be postponed until safer times.
“We still encourage patients to discuss with their referrer whether their investigation is considered urgent or absolutely necessary at this time of crisis, but to definitely not neglect important investigations possibly exposing them to serious health risks,” he added, noting this could push patients into hospital beds that are already scarce during the crisis.
Exact has about a dozen or so more locations across Australia, and officials added that it’s “business as usual” at its other clinics. However, they’re asking patients to be vigilant about covering their mouths when coughing and adhering to social distancing.
Others in the U.S. are similarly upending their business models to stay open and continue treating patients. Florida-headquartered radiology provider Akumin announced in March that it’s dedicating 12 of its imaging centers solely to imaging coronavirus patients.
Tacoma, Washington-based TRA Medical Imaging similarly announced on March 27 that it’s “shifting gears” and using its Lakewood location only for individuals displaying coronavirus symptoms. By providing x-ray and CT for those with the virus, their hope is serve as a “relief valve” for busy hospital emergency departments and help flatten the curve. They’re also pausing debt collections to help those with financial challenges.
“We recognize that this will be a defining moment for our healthcare system and our region. Getting through this will require commitment, collaboration and all the resources we can bring to bear as a medical community,” Douglas Seiler, MD, TRA’s physician president, said in a statement.
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.