The Commodity-Proof Radiologist

Abstract

My purpose was to compare how radiology is practiced in the United States with how it is practiced in England. Perhaps, I thought, in doing so I could identify lessons American radiologists could learn and then import into their own practices and departments. After all, the American health care system is experiencing fundamental changes at the moment with respect to payment reform. So I wanted to learn all I could about the system in England and share my findings with ACR members.Because my experience consisted entirely of interviewing hospitalbased diagnostic radiologists, I will confine most of this article to dealing with that group and their position vis-à-vis American hospital-based diagnostic radiologists. As my interviews ran their course, one aspect of UK diagnostic imaging seemed appropriate to compare with American radiology at the Imaging 3.0 Ò crossroads: the high level of value referring clinicians place on the diagnostic radiologist's diagnosis.There are as many similarities as there are differences between the two countries when it comes to health care coordination. But one trait of diagnostic radiology as it is practiced in England stands out: radiologists in

The COVID-19 pandemic, commodity trading, and the required changes to ensure a promising future for the anesthesiology specialty: A call to action

“…There has been extensive discussion if health care professionals can be considered commodities in the current healthcare environment [1,2]. As a physician, I feel extremely insulted to be considered a "commodity."…”