| Home | Title Page | Introduction | Background | Potential Benefits | Legal and Ethical Issues | Security Concerns and Disadvantages | Social Problems | Conclusion | Bibliography |
Radiology has become adapted to digital radiography. Today’s Radiologists view digital imaging as the best technological advancement because in the field of radiology the quickest and most advanced form of imaging techniques are needed for faster diagnosis of any type of disease, either pathogenic or non-pathogenic. “Digital Radiography ranks as an integral component of every radiology department's workflow” (Anonymous, 2009, p. 1). All of these technological advancements in the field of Radiology have transformed diagnoses interpretation. From the results taking three to five days to reach the ordering physician to having it reach them within a short period of just thirty minutes. This advancement is of great gain because now, the interpreted report will reach the ordering physician quick enough to treat the patient in a shorter time span. All of this will prevent diseases from spreading and in turn this will save many lives. “Advanced imaging provides fast, comprehensive information on which to base an accurate diagnosis and enables physicians to create an effective treatment plan” (Duford, 2009, p.16-19).
Also, there now is an in-house clinical information system for Radiologists to get access to digital images and reports online. When using this system they are also able to dictate into another system where the hospital and private practices can gain access to the reports they have dictated. Although these at-home systems are convenient and beneficial to Radiologists as well as to patients and their physicians, they can also be of disadvantage to Radiologists according to Dr. Bob Bury. In his opinion films are going to be easily and rapidly accessible, but not only to Radiologists, to any physician. This could be a disadvantage because if any physician has access to the films, they will be able to interpret them without needing the Radiologist to interpret it for them (Bury, 2005, p. 1). Although, even if physicians have access to these films and images easily, they do not have the same capability as that of a Radiologist to interpret films because they are taught to look at every detail, no matter how minor it is because it could be indicative of anything malignant or pathogenic although it might seem insignificant.
Radiology has computerized management in the health field and has responded well to the demand for cost efficient and rapid communication between departments of radiology and other authorized users. Digital image attainment has become the standard for modern equipment used in diagnostic imagining including magnetic resonance imaging, and radionuclide radiology, but most radiological images are still recorded, interpreted, and stored on x-ray film. With the increasing availability of more efficient and affordable storage systems, these x-ray films will become digital and thereafter radiology will become “filmless.”
Although there are a lot of advantages to the technological advancements in Radiology, the downside is the cost of this advanced equipment. “The United States market for computed tomography (CT) scanning systems is estimated to touch $3.6 billion by the end of 2009. The US accounts for over 50.0 percent of the market. Cardiac imaging is a fast expanding CT application due to its utility in emergency medicine, perfusion studies and CT angiography” (Anonymous, 2009, p.1). These numbers indicate the high cost of the specialized equipment needed in Radiology. Ever since the commencement of this field, the equipment needed was at a high cost, but now it is at an even higher rate because as technology advances, the better the technology, and in turn the more expensive the equipment. “It is said that about 25% percent of imaging centers are private practices;” they are not established in a hospital setting as they used to be about twenty years ago (Anonymous, 2009, p. 1). These private practices are the ones that have the latest Radiology equipment due to the fact that they are making the most money compared to hospitals, which are public. This also means that they have a higher budget than the public radiology clinics. “One of the fastest growing applications is CT angiograms, currently at an annual rate of about half a million in the US. Overall growth in medical imaging technologies will also fuel growth in picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) and radiology information systems (RIS)” (Anonymous, 2009, p. 1).
“Advances in diagnostic radiology are revolutionizing the way disease and injuries are detected, diagnosed and treated. Services such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans enable physicians to visualize a patient's internal anatomy with increasing clarity and exponential benefits for the field of medicine. Yet an unprecedented growth in the use of these technologies has created a huge spike in the cost of diagnostic imaging” (Duford, 2009, p. 16-19). Radiology equipment has a 20% annual growth rate, putting it at the top of the list for the fastest growing medical expense. About $100 billion a year is spent on imaging in the US, and according to Duford these costs will be double in just four years (2009, p.16). Radiology is a health field where employers directly impact costs. From a benefit management perspective, there are radiology management solutions that save employers, health plans and patients money without having to change plans or transferring the costs to plan members (Duford, 2009, p.16-19).