94% of radiologists surveyed say they’re not getting paid enough for multidisciplinary meetings
Nearly 94% of radiologists surveyed said they aren’t getting paid enough for multidisciplinary team rounds, according to new research.
Such gatherings are a “cornerstone of modern healthcare,” experts note, bringing together docs of different specialties to discuss complex cases. However, in a reality where many radiologists’ regular reading duties already are overwhelming, these meetings can become a potential added burden that contributes to burnout.
Researchers recently aimed to assess the experiences and challenges faced by radiologists participating in multidisciplinary team rounds. They noted about 94% of those polled said they value the opportunity for interaction with colleagues. However, the same percentage felt inadequately compensated for the effort, according to research published in the Canadian Association of Radiologists Journal.
“Perceptions of workload and compensation reveal a significant disconnect between the acknowledged value of [multidisciplinary team] rounds and the reimbursement for radiologists,” Dr. Tanya Chawla, director of the University of Toronto’s Advanced Imaging Education Center, and co-authors wrote Sept. 1. “Radiologist participation in MDTs is associated with substantial unreimbursed time and costs…This disparity highlights the need for advocacy and systemic changes to align expectations with appropriate recognition and support.”
The association distributed its survey to 1,958 radiologists, with 129 completing the questionnaire for a response rate of 6.6%. Most worked in academic settings (66%) and had undergone subspecialty training (96%). Typically, respondents said team rounds lasted between 30 and 60 minutes, discussing 6 to 10 cases, with rads often the only presenters of medical images (63%). Respondents complained of limited time for prep, with only 6% having a dedicated period for this work. Nearly 60% also expressed concern about receiving additional cases with 24 hours prior to meetings.
Other common concerns included unclear clinical questions and barriers to exchanging outside images. Chawla et al. suggested that a follow-up position statement from the association could delve deeper into the study’s findings and offer recommendations to better support radiologists.
“The results underscore the need for systemic improvements, including better adherence to case submission deadlines, enhanced integration of external imaging systems, and the provision of protected time for preparation,” the authors advised. “Addressing these issues will help optimize radiologists’ contributions to MDTs and improve overall efficiency.”
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.