Declining reimbursements are only one of the pressing issues facing radiology this year, according to a recent study.
The study, published Oct. 29 in the Journal of the American College of Radiology, outlines the seven most pressing issues in radiology. Participants in the Intersociety Summer Conference focused on identifying these issues and proposing potential solutions.
Here are the top concerns for radiology:
1. Declining reimbursements: Radiologists have seen a 25% decline in adjusted reimbursements per beneficiary since 2005, with a lack of compensation for noninterpretive services contributing significantly to this issue.
"Radiologists should seek compensation from hospitals for these critical noninterpretive services," the authors wrote. "As payment transitions from a transactional, procedure-based system to a value-based system, radiologists must be actively engaged in establishing and quantifying metrics for these services to assure appropriate compensation."
2. Corporatization and consolidation: Industry consolidation has reduced radiologists' work opportunities.
3. Inadequate labor force: Persistent staff shortages may worsen. Suggested solutions include expanding residency positions in private practices, recruiting international graduates and increasing job flexibility.
4. Imaging appropriateness: Growing demand for imaging services in emergency departments (EDs) exceeds current capacity, exacerbating the supply-demand gap.
"To facilitate this reduction, better data on imaging outcomes for specific clinical questions are urgently needed," the authors wrote. "Considering the magnitude of the mismatch crisis, radiologists may also need to consider expanding their consultative role to include that of a gatekeeper, as is done in other more resource-controlled countries."
5. Burnout: Nearly 78% of radiologists report reading volumes beyond their capacity, which threatens patient care quality and exacerbates burnout.
6. Turf wars with nonphysicians: Nonphysician providers' interpretation of imaging exams has increased by up to 30% in the past five years.
"The field of radiology must generate evidence of the value of radiologists by effectively delivering the message that the person who interprets an imaging study or performs an image-guided procedure matters," the authors wrote. "The targets of this messaging would include legislators, the public and hospital administrators. One particularly critical target would be hospital bylaws: Hospital medical staff need to present a united front on this matter, which is the equivalent of scope-of-practice legislation but at the hospital level."
7. Increasing workflow efficiency: Radiologists spend at least 36% of their time on image interpretations. Incorporating AI, improving reading room designs and delegating noninterpretive tasks to nonphysician team members could streamline workflows.