Tighter Integration of Nighthawk Reports into Hospital EMRs and RISs

Bruce Friedman posted an interesting analysis on his blog: Tighter Integration of Nighthawk Reports into Hospital EMRs and RISs.

"Nighthawk-type" radiology service firms, launched initially with the avid support of radiologists, have evolved to potentially be their nemesis.  Defined succinctly, they provide the diagnostic services of outside radiologists to interpret medical images at times when members of a local hospital radiology group are unavailable.  Such services were initially provided off-hours -- hence the name nighthawk.  However, "nighthawk" firms have quickly morphed to provide around-the-clock services, putting some radiology groups out of business and causing others to fight back...  Although the concept of telemedicine has been in existence for decades, the most commercially viable version of this approach to the practice of medicine today is clearly teleradiology.

Interesting...  and yet, Nighthawk companies employ radiologists, so the threat isn't to radiologists per se, it is to radiology groups as formerly configured.  Worth keeping in mind because some pathologists fear that the advent of digital pathology will cause a similar change toward outsourcing pathology.  My own view is that digital pathology is more likely to cause insourcing, at least from a U.S. perspective, given the relative shortage of pathologists outside the U.S. 

The main driver of Nighthawk services in radiology was the need for time-critical interpretations, and the main driver of outsourcing in pathology will likely be sub-specialization, the need for tissue- and disease- specific interpretations.

Comments

[internal medicine emr]

Thanks for such a great blog to share with.I enjoyed reading it!Technology really has a lot of contribution and plays a big role in our life especially in the field of medicine..It truly has a big impact on health in the developing world.