As more and more hospitals and private practices are beginning
to outsource radiology services, quality is becoming a pressing concern for
many. How can doctors assure their patients of excellent healthcare with
services that could come from the other side of the country? There are a number
of benchmarks to help ensure that a hospital or practice is receiving nothing
short of excellent quality teleradiology services.
When it comes to health care organizations, accreditation from
the appropriate institutions is of primary importance. Accreditation from The
Joint Commission is recognized all over the country as a sign of an
organization's adherence to high quality standards. Teleradiology service
providers also need to be strictly compliant with the guidelines laid out by
the American College of Radiology (ACR), the country's principal organization
for radiologists.
The next factor to take into consideration is the caliber of the
radiologists in a service provider's employ. Doctors can be assured of highly
reliable and competent partners in delivering excellent healthcare with
board-certified, U.S.-trained and -based radiologists with fellowship training.
In addition, doctors will do well to partner with those who provide radiology
services full-time, and are not subcontractors or residents.
Finally, doctors can promptly respond to patient needs if they, too, receive speedy services from their Teleradiology partner. Service providers need to be able to provide excellent customer support 24/7, and can offer IT and administrative support as well, to ensure that doctors can focus squarely on providing efficient care. With all the above, hospitals and private practices are assured that they are provided with quality radiology services that enable them to deliver excellent healthcare anytime, anywhere in the country.
