Experiences Matter

Traditionally, advances in healthcare are built upon a formalized architecture of research and the application of the scientific method into healthcare decision making for the benefit of optimal care for a single patient or for populations of patients. The importance of data has continued to manifest itself in other areas of healthcare and influence behaviors with respect to information systems and technology as they relate to healthcare. Historically influential in business, data has become increasingly important to healthcare providers as a predictor and an analysis tool for their own businesses. But as radiologists struggle to maintain their independence and demonstrate their value in the healthcare process, no method proves to be stronger than listening to the experiences of peers, those experiencing success, and those experiencing difficult challenges as well, in order to build the strategies that radiologists will apply to their own businesses as a means to sustaining long-term success.

While these experiences may not adhere to the formal EBM process, there is much to be learned from a similar group’s experience in selecting a new PACS, or a VNA, for example. One group may speak about what drove their decision to join a hospital group, or another’s decision to join forces with another radiology group. Because each radiology practice is different, there is no one right path. There may be opportunity seen through best practice sharing found on ImagingBiz, or at many of the fall healthcare and radiology conferences coming soon. Formally peer-reviewed or not, these experiences will likely prove to be very valuable.