What are the Benefits of Outsourced Radiology Services?
UK radiology departments are currently facing a growing number of difficulties. Budgetary restrictions are causing these departments to struggle with increasing patient loads, a lack of specialised radiologists, and pressure to shorten diagnostic wait times.
Many NHS Trusts opt to outsource their radiology services to address these challenges and, hopefully, resolve them over time. Outsourcing radiology services helps NHS Trusts access specialised radiological care and high-quality diagnostic services while relieving pressure on internal resources.
This article examines the many benefits of this strategy and establishes the foundation for a more robust and effective radiological service in the NHS.
What are Radiology Services?
Radiology services take clear pictures of the inside of your body to help doctors make quick and accurate health choices. They use modern imaging methods, including diagnostic imaging, positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and many others, to detect and treat medical disorders.
The three primary categories of radiological services include:
- Diagnostic Radiology Services use a range of imaging modalities, including CT, MRI, and X-rays, to track the development of medical disorders and diagnose illnesses.
- Interventional Radiology Services use real-time imaging to guide minimally invasive treatments for diagnosing and treating various illnesses. More invasive surgical treatments are often replaced with interventional radiology.
- Therapeutic Radiology Services treat cancer and other illnesses with carefully calibrated radiation dosages. Therapeutic radiography focuses on specific body parts to eliminate or reduce tumours while causing the least amount of harm to the surrounding healthy tissue.
The Advantages of Outsourced Radiology Services from RMS
Outsourcing radiology services has many benefits, including access to specialists and cost savings. Here are a few more examples.
Increased Effectiveness
Outsourced radiography services, such as those offered by RMS, bring more efficiency into the NHS system. Ultrasound, CT scans and other imaging services guarantee that NHS scanners are used to their full potential by operating beyond regular business hours, including on weekends. This method expedites the diagnostic procedure and maximises resource utilisation so patients may get the information they want more quickly.
Shorter Turnaround Times
Outsourced radiology reporting services have more flexibility and extended operating hours which help to decrease waiting lists and turnaround times for complex scans. RMS provides a range of ultrasonography and diagnostic services to assist NHS Trusts and other healthcare facilities in better managing patient flow. Prompt diagnosis is essential for effective therapy and better patient outcomes.
Cost Savings from outsourced radiology services
For the NHS, outsourcing radiology clinical services is an affordable option. RMS’s modular and mobile units provide an inexpensive way to increase diagnostic capacity without the need for a sizable financial investment in brand-new equipment or medical facilities. This strategy also eliminates the costs of operating and maintaining extra internal buildings. In the long term, healthcare providers may secure anticipated financial benefits while meeting their current operational demands.
Access to Specialised Knowledge
RMS provides a pool of highly qualified and licensed radiologists to solve the shortage of radiologists in NHS healthcare organisations. This specialised knowledge enhances the NHS’ capacity to provide accurate diagnostic clinical services and reduces the negative effects of radiologist shortages on service delivery.
Better Treatment for Patients
RMS’s patient-centric approach and dedication to providing scans at the appropriate time and location greatly improve patient care. Patients receive a smooth diagnostic experience with quick radiology interpretations, specialist scans, and comprehensive services, including fertility and heart imaging.
How Do Radiology Services Get Outsourced?
To shorten wait times and maximise efficient emergency scanning, RMS collaborates with NHS Trusts to provide specialised medical imaging services that are available seven days a week. Despite budgetary restrictions, our services promote excellent quality and cost-efficiency to optimise current NHS radiography resources. This involves providing fully staffed mobile and modular units to assist Community Diagnostic Hubs (CDHs), which is essential to the NHS’s plan to improve diagnostic capabilities closer to patients’ homes. We oversee and staff these CDHs, helping the NHS modernise their diagnostic services with improved technology, labour force, and digital integration.
We handle many patient scans annually and have a sizable staff of highly qualified radiographers to improve diagnostic service availability. In addition to clearing the backlog of patients, this all-inclusive assistance creates a strong foundation for future diagnostic requirements.
How Many NHS Trusts Outsource Out-of-Hours Radiology Services?
According to a 2018 Care Quality Commission (CQC) study, over 76% of NHS trusts outsourced their radiography services to outside vendors to handle rising demand. The 2019–20 Model Hospital statistics provide a more thorough breakdown, showing that over 5.5 million tests were contracted out by 144 acute and speciality acute NHS trusts in England. About 85% of this outsourced work was done expressly to improve reporting services during off-peak hours or to clear up reporting backlogs.
Persistent labour shortages have contributed significantly to the NHS’s reliance on radiography outsourcing. This has resulted in reporting delays that may affect patient care and service efficiency. Trusts have found that outsourcing is essential to meeting their service delivery goals and guaranteeing timely reporting.
The NHS’s Strategic Benefit from Outsourced Radiology Services
The NHS may gain a strategic edge by outsourcing contract radiology services and prioritising clinical quality. This outsourcing strategy could relieve the strain on NHS healthcare systems and improve the general quality of radiology department services.
