Teleradiology coming of age: winners and losers.

1161 vice advantages of outsourced off-hour teleradiology, referring physicians and hospital administrators are now asking why their radiology groups cannot deliver the same levels of service for daytime radiology operations [9]. Given that many groups are understaffed, some have reluctantly agreed to outsource an increasing number of day time interpretations to the acquisitive teleradiology companies, which have built the logistic infrastructure to respond rapidly to this new dayhawk market. In other words, radiologists, by readily outsourcing their off-hour responsibilities, have inadvertently created a competitive dayhawk market for radiologic services. The speed with which competition has been introduced into the radiology market has caught some radiology groups by surprise, some of which have already lost either part or all of their existing franchise [2]. Furthermore, due to the success of the commercial tele radiology companies, larger entrepreneurial radiology groups have been encouraged to enter the market. They have the added advantage of being able to provide some on-site hospital coverage—a hospital will usually need some radiology daytime presence—while transmitting the majority of images elsewhere, wherever the majority of their group is located. The radiology market is therefore entering an intense phase of consolidation, and smaller radiology groups, particularly those deemed to deliver poor customer service, are at significant risk of losing out [2]. They are at a particular disadvantage because they often cannot offer the full range of subspecialty services that increasingly are being demanded of them [9]. Consequently, some radiologists can no longer assume long-term job security because their core value proposition can now be outsourced. Although many groups have responded accordingly and have either maintained or improved the Teleradiology Coming of Age: Winners and Losers

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