University of Pittsburgh grappling with weeks-long delays for imaging results
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is reportedly grappling with weeks-long delays for imaging results.
UPMC, Pennsylvania’s largest hospital system, is dealing with ongoing radiologist shortages and now pursuing every possible option to meet growing demand for specialty services. This includes prioritizing urgent and emergent studies “to ensure patients get the critical care they need in a timely manner,” PennLive.com reported Monday.
Patients have reportedly taken to social media to express their frustration, with some waiting 30 days or more for their radiology findings.
“I waited 8 weeks for results from a CT scan. I received the bill before I received the results. It’s unacceptable,” Kathy S., of Jonestown, wrote on Nextdoor.
UPMC told the publication that it has onboarded additional radiologists in recent weeks to begin strengthening staffing. It also has partnered with other external imaging providers to cut wait times.
“We appreciate our patients’ continued confidence in UPMC’s world-class care and the growing demand for our services,” the representative said.
LancasterOnline also previously reported about imaging delays at UPMC in mid-January. At the time, the system said it was experiencing “longer than usual turnaround times,” with radiology results averaging about 30 days to be finalized. Last month, the system blamed growing demand for imaging and a national shortage of radiologists for the delays.
UPMC offers a range of imaging services across over 100 locations in Pennsylvania, New York and western Maryland, according to its website.
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.