Radiologists, rad techs, physicists and nuclear medicine urge HHS to fix costly image-sharing processes
Healthcare societies representing radiologists, rad techs, physicists and nuclear medicine are urging the Trump administration to address costly and outdated image-sharing practices that are hindering the profession.
Imaging groups recently conveyed their concerns to Health and Human Services in a letter submitted March 16. They note that radiology and nuclear medicine have stood at the “forefront of technological innovation in healthcare,” including working to create DICOM, a standard for conveying digital images.
Radiology also has led efforts to “ditch the disk” and move medicine away from costly and cumbersome CDs.
“However, despite widespread adoption, variability in the implementation of technical standards has impeded interoperability and exchange across disparate products and settings,” the American College of Radiology et al. wrote to HHS on Monday. “While radiologists, nuclear medicine physicians, medical physicists, radiologic technologists, nuclear medicine technologists, and others overwhelmingly want physical media-free image exchange, these functions are often unavailable in imaging IT systems implemented in their workplaces…”
Radiology groups wrote their letter in response to a January information request from HHS, seeking ways to bolster imaging exchange across healthcare. Others signing the message included the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT), and the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI). The five said they “strongly support” the electronic exchange of images and applauded HHS for investigating the topic.
ACR et al. urged the administration to partner with the specialty to make image sharing and interoperability a “national priority.” Previously, the federal government has similarly done so when addressing issues such as electronic health records and prior authorization. However, they cautioned the administration against devising a solution that is overly prescriptive.
“Any future action should promote interoperability and move standards forward within the industry while avoiding system acquisition mandates or other new compliance burdens for resource‑constrained providers or the patients they serve,” the groups wrote.
ACR et al. also highlighted the economic impact of legacy image-exchange approaches. Providers must maintain costly ways of continuing to access CDs or other physical media. Patients, meanwhile, often endure repeat exams when their healthcare team can’t access previous imaging. This situation can be “especially difficult” for private practice radiologists, who encounter “considerable obstacles” when reviewing studies from smaller imaging centers.
“Reliance on this approach to data sharing imposes burdens on patients and care providers, increases costs, and impacts the quality and efficiency of care by delaying or impeding care decisions,” they added.
The groups recommended that HHS take “immediate steps” to enable imaging access within established health information exchange networks. ACR et al. said they’d continue to support this approach on their own through communication with imaging professionals and the vendor communities. They believe the initiative should include encouraging the use of native DICOM images for medical specialties that deal with imaging.
Financial incentives could be one way to spur imaging interoperability.
“Support for external image access frequently requires dedicated staff/resources, manual processes, or investment in new IT services and solutions,” the groups added. “All of which may not be fully reimbursed or prioritized within existing institutional/department budget frameworks compared to revenue-generating or efficiency-improving tools.”
You can read the full letter to HHS here. The college also promoted its message in a news update published on Thursday. Meanwhile, the American Hospital Association was among those also weighing in on the request for information.
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.