Obstacles and Solutions Driving the Development of a National Teleradiology Network

Abstract

Background: Teleradiology has the potential to link medical experts and specialties despite geographical separation. In a project report about hospital-based teleradiology, the significance of technical and human factors during the implementation and growth of a teleradiology network are explored. Evaluation: The article identifies major obstacles during the implementation and growth of the teleradiology network of the Berlin Trauma Hospital (BG Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin) between 2004 and 2020 in semi-structured interviews with senior staff members. Quantitative analysis of examination numbers, patient numbers, and profits relates the efforts of the staff members to the monetary benefits and success of the network. Identification of qualitative and quantitative factors for success: Soft and hard facilitators and solutions driving the development of the national teleradiology network are identified. Obstacles were often solved by technical innovations, but the time span between required personal efforts, endurance, and flexibility of local and external team members. The article describes innovations driven by teleradiology and hints at the impact of teleradiology on modern medical care by relating the expansion of the teleradiology network to patient transfers and profits. Conclusion: In addition to technical improvements, interpersonal collaborations were key to the success of the teleradiology network of the Berlin Trauma Hospital and remained a unique feature and selling point of this teleradiology network.

The role of teleradiology during COVID-19 outbreak

“…This may lead to questions on whether those radiologists would prefer in-house reporting rather than interpreting images off-site, or whether they may not yet be familiar with teleradiology systems or have used teleradiology in their clinical practice and thus could not express real opinions on their experiences. This result was consistent with the results of the study carried out by Goelz et al 22 (2021), who found that some radiologists have concerns related to the speed of communication, the equality of reports, residents’ training, the instability of the job market, and radiologists’ incomes.…”

“… 25 Additionally, some radiologists may face difficulty in image interpretation via teleradiology due to the insufficient integration of patient history or previous examination, as well as the lack of communication with the referral clinicians. 22 The results showed that associate professors were more satisfied with the role of teleradiology during the COVID-19 pandemic than others, which may stem from the current practice of those who work in the academic field, as teleradiology systems allow for hybridized academic practice, in which academicians can have a part-time non-teaching clinical role via teleradiology in addition to their role as a teacher. 7 The potential selection bias (such as imbalance between clinical radiologists and academicians in the survey population) is attributed to the use of a non-probability convenient sampling technique, since the research question addressed by this technique is limited to the study population itself and thus lacks generalizability among clinical radiologists and academicians.…”

“… 6 This raises important concerns regarding ethics and clinical practice in terms of the confidentiality of patient information, privacy, and technological reliability. 22 Although teleradiology is now well established in some countries, and several technical assessments have been applied to this technology, the legal and ethical considerations remain unclear. 23 Technical support is crucial in order to maintain data security and patients’ privacy by providing proper information protection with the highest level of security to all users.…”

Quality Assurance of a Cross-Border and Sub-Specialized Teleradiology Service

“…The company invested in an IT department that developed an individualized RIS and facilitated the integration of new customers. In a way, developments at TMC are similar to the development of noncommercial teleradiology networks worldwide [ 36 , 37 , 38 ]. Medical management and the IT department share the responsibility to decide about the introduction of a new AI product into a teleradiology service.…”

Middle Meningeal Artery Embolization Minimizes Burdensome Recurrence Rates After Newly Diagnosed Chronic Subdural Hematoma Evacuation (MEMBRANE): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

“…The ukb is a tertiary care, academic teaching hospital, and certified supra-regional trauma center with more than 730 beds, 17 operating theatres, a dual-use helicopter, and one of the busiest interdisciplinary stroke units in the capital of Germany. Given its mobile stroke unit and wide-ranging tele-neurology service, the ukb emerged as a premier national referral institution for acute neurological and neurosurgical cases [33,34]. All clinical investigators are board-certified and have renowned expertise in neurosurgery, neuroradiology, and endovascular interventions.…”