简而言之: Advances in medical imaging technology are changing the way radiology services are provided.
The Biden administration announced earlier this year that the COVID-19 public health emergency will officially end on May 11. 但对医院领导来说,疫情的影响仍在继续. 劳动力短缺, 供应链约束, 以及对临床护理需求的增加, 在过去几年中,所有这些都加剧了, 是否促使许多医院重新思考他们的医疗模式.
These realities are particularly acute in the field of medical imaging—a high-demand, high-revenue clinical service that generates downstream care in nearly every specialty.
医学影像创新的必要性
类似于其他临床领域, 医疗成像仍然受到资金限制的影响, 云顶集团40011官网和技术人员短缺, 以及总体的人员配置问题. 这些挑战造成了这条24/7云顶集团线路的运营效率低下, 但它们也使医学成像成为技术创新的理想环境.
Many hospitals are stepping outside of their comfort zones and considering nontraditional solutions such as remote scanning. 同时正在探索多种成像方式的远程扫描, 它在MRI中获得了最大的关注. Remote scanning offers organizations a way to accommodate changing employee preferences and expectations to work remotely while enabling organizations to increase access, 提高吞吐量, 并提供更复杂的扫描.
它是如何工作的
Remote scanning allows the patient receiving an MRI to be at a different location from the technologist performing the MRI. 通常情况下,患者由接受过核磁共振安全培训的支持人员陪同, 核磁共振技术人员可能在另一家医院或完全远程. This process is made possible by equipping MRI machines with the proper software and instituting workflows for optimal and safe care coordination.
访谈结果:MRI远程扫描
对于许多组织来说,远程扫描可能是一个新颖的概念. 为了更好地理解组织的观点, 心电图 conducted interviews with a diverse range of hospital leaders—from small rural and Critical 访问 医院 to large integrated delivery networks (IDNs). 所有的受访者都对这个概念很感兴趣, 少数处于试行或实施远程核磁共振云顶集团的不同阶段. And across the board, the interviewees reported similar challenges in their imaging departments:
技术人员短缺
One common challenge is a shortage of highly skilled technologists who can complete complex scans (e.g.心脏). 对于拥有多个核磁共振中心的云顶集团40011官网, patients frequently need to be transferred to a location where such staff are available. 在其他情况下, hospitals do not have any technologists who are fully trained or comfortable completing complex scans, so patients are referred to outside organizations and often must travel longer distances to receive care.
人力资源的限制
领导们还对无法充分安排员工轮班表示担忧, 这会降低社区访问和吞吐量能力. 而人员短缺在第二阶段更为普遍, 第三, 周末轮班, there are multiple facilities that routinely block daily schedules due to an inability to staff MRI units. 这导致了几种复合效应.
- 剩下的员工经常要加班加点,工作时间更长, 导致大喊大叫, 保留的问题, 招聘挑战.
- 因为组织无法容纳病人, 病人等待时间增加, 病人吞吐量和护理协调恶化, 逗留时间长短会受到不利影响, and outpatient revenue decreases as organizations eventually lose patients to out-migration or lost referrals from providers.
不可持续的短期修复
Understaffing often leads to overwhelming pressure to require on-call or overtime shifts or offer unsustainably high sign-on and shift bonuses. 在很多情况下, the few staff members who were available to cover shifts throughout the day were the same team members who were required to be on call. This can lead to staff burnout, which may drive turnover and further perpetuate staffing challenges. 随着企业之间争夺人才的竞争日益激烈, 签约奖金正升至前所未有的水平, 有时达到30美元,在两到三年内支付.
利益及关注事项
远程扫描并不是万能的. But by equipping themselves with these capabilities and utilizing internal or contract staff, 各组织致力于提高住院和门诊MRI云顶集团的可及性. 这反过来又会对整体护理协调产生切实的影响, 病人的经验, 以及财务表现.
另外, remote scanning can improve staff engagement by providing more coverage to alleviate pressure on existing staff. Organizations also have an opportunity to contribute to their employees professional development by offering remote continuing education and more advanced training support.
While there are many arguments in favor of remote scanning, there are just as many concerns. 我们所采访的行业领导者也提出了许多相同的问题:
- “谁在房间里陪着病人,给他们定位?”
- “这会危及认证吗??”
- “这要花多少钱??”
- “我们的MRI设备需要哪些软件来利用远程扫描功能?”
- “投资回报是多少?”
- “这是否会影响病人接受治疗的质量?”
- “在紧急情况下会发生什么?”
There are no stock responses; answers depend on the 操作 战略目标, 以及风险承受能力, 每个组织的. 美国放射学会(ACR)指出,对于核磁共振成像, either two technologists or one MRI technologist and one individual with the MRI personnel designation must be able to communicate within earshot of each other.
在远程扫描的情况下, the remote individual conducting the scan is an MRI technologist and is always able to communicate with the other staff member in the room. 和病人在一起的人可能是:
- 另一位核磁共振技术专家.
- 其他形式的技术专家.
- 技术辅助设备或护士辅助设备.
- 另一人接受过MRI安全和工作流程培训.
这种选择是组织偏好的问题.
远程MRI的安全考虑
Organizations should approach remote scanning by engaging their designated radiologist leader for MRI and other clinical leaders and referencing internal safe-practice guidelines. ACR为核磁共振安全项目的发展提供了一般指导, 注意到“使用远程MRI系统操作不会, 无论如何, 减少了站点提供安全核磁共振护理的义务.” This means that the onus for developing and defining safety standards for remote scanning falls on the individual organization.
如果工厂在现场技术人员的协助下实施远程扫描, there must be adequate documentation outlining this individual’s training and responsibilities, 包括医疗紧急情况的协议, 淬灭, 紧急停车, 还有其他类似的情况. Organizations must also consider and put in writing their policies and practices for patient screening, 定位, and coil selection and be prepared to demonstrate that there is no compromise in patient safety.
Several organizations have already facilitated the safe deployment of remote scanning programs and are now enjoying the benefits of a remote MRI technologist capable of operating up to three scanners at once. The graphic below offers a few considerations for organizations contemplating the use of these programs.
医学成像的未来
Advances in medical imaging technology are changing the way radiology services are provided. 预计未来几年对医学成像的需求将会增加, 目前,许多医院正在经历供应链中断, 劳动力短缺, 营业利润率下降. To meet the anticipated increase in medical imaging volumes in the face of these challenges, some hospitals have already begun embracing remote scanning—particularly for MRI procedures.
远程核磁共振扫描有很多好处, including the unique opportunity for patients to more consistently receive care sooner and closer to home. Organizations should strongly consider how and if remote scanning can augment their immediate and long-term clinical, 操作, 战略目标.
心电图在放射学和医学成像云顶集团方面拥有深厚的专业知识. Organizations contemplating this undertaking should seek an external consulting partner with experience in enterprise strategy, 性能转换, 管理式医疗, 以及对成像云顶集团独特需求的理解.
Is your organization prepared to meet the anticipated increase in medical imaging volumes?
Organizations should strongly consider how and if remote scanning can augment their immediate and long-term clinical, 操作, 战略目标.
云顶集团编辑: 马特·马斯林,达拉·汗
2023年3月29日出版