There are many jobs that you wouldn’t think could be done remotely, no matter how much technology develops. Radiology, given its dependence on X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and more, is certainly not a career that comes to mind when one thinks about remote work. But can radiologists work from home?
Remote radiology is, in fact, possible, making it easy for radiologists to analyze test results and provide reports from anywhere. The growth of remote access has made remote radiology more accessible, improving speed and efficiency, but there are still some challenges.
So, let’s look at remote radiology, how radiologists can work from home, and the technology that makes it possible.
Can Radiologists Work From Home?
Radiologists can work from home, but doing so requires investing in the right tools and technology. In fact, according to research from the Journal of the American College of Radiology, 82% of radiology practices allow remote or hybrid work.
Naturally, radiologists can’t pack up MRI machines and bring them home. However, remote access technology can help radiologists access their work devices to view scans, securely access health records, and consult with other experts, no matter where they are.
Key Factors Behind the Rapid Growth of Remote Radiology
With that said, what has driven the growth of remote radiology (also called teleradiology)?
While teleradiology has been growing for several years, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 accelerated its growth significantly. Radiologists needed to keep up with increased demand while still working safely, which included social distancing and secure remote work.
Beyond that, multiple factors have contributed to the growing need for remote radiology. Aging populations and a higher prevalence of chronic diseases have increased the need for radiologists, and teleradiology has helped meet that demand by enabling radiologists to assist patients remotely.
At the same time, the broader availability of imaging and remote access technology has made it easier for radiologists to work from anywhere. These factors have combined to accelerate the need for and growth of teleradiology worldwide.
The Role of Technology in Enabling Remote Radiology
Of course, remote radiology can’t happen without multiple technologies working together. Teleradiology uses a combination of tools and software to let radiologists effectively and efficiently work remotely, including:
Remote access software that lets radiologists connect to their on-site workstations and authorized medical systems, without storing patient data on personal devices.
Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) that stores, manages, and distributes medical images from anywhere, using the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) format to ensure they’re visible and accessible across devices.
Cloud-based reporting and imaging technology to let radiologists securely access scans and collaborate with physicians and specialists remotely.
AI-powered diagnostics to analyze medical images for patterns connected to diseases and injuries.
Secure communications platforms that let radiologists consult with experts and work together on cases.
Shifting to Remote Radiology: Key Advantages for Healthcare Professionals
The next question is: what are the benefits of remote radiology? Implementing teleradiology can require a significant investment, depending on existing infrastructure, so it needs to be worth the costs.
Fortunately, remote radiology has significant benefits for healthcare professionals and patients alike, including:
Flexibility: Teleradiology enables radiologists to work on more flexible schedules. Radiologists working remotely don’t need to spend all day in the hospital, which gives them more freedom to adjust their schedules around their workloads and personal plans.
Work-life balance: The improved flexibility also leads to a better work-life balance. Not only do radiologists have to spend less time commuting and stuck in traffic, but they can also schedule their hours around personal commitments and spend more time with their families while working from home. This also reduces the need to work long hours and late nights, reducing burnout and improving satisfaction and performance.
Efficiency: Remote work has been proven to improve efficiency and patient care. Teleradiology enables faster report turnaround, helps clear backlogs, and reduces wait times, allowing patients to get results and help more quickly.
Expanded access: With remote radiology, radiologists are no longer limited to where they can work, opening up more flexibility and opportunities. Teleradiology allows hospitals to hire specialists remotely, so radiologists can support hospitals in cities several hours away and in areas with limited access.
Addressing the Challenges of Remote Radiology
Given the complexity of radiology, setting up teleradiology can be a tricky matter without proper preparation. Remote radiologists can face many challenges, including:
Data security: Patient records and medical data are subject to strict security regulations, and keeping these confidential records safe is of the utmost importance. Finding HIPAA-compliant remote access software is key to ensuring data remains secure.
Communication: Radiologists must maintain clear lines of communication to connect with patients, hospitals, colleagues, and other specialists, especially when working remotely. It’s essential to invest in communication tools that can keep onsite and remote staff connected, including remote collaboration tools, secure messaging, and remote PACS access.
Technical support: What happens when a radiologist working remotely needs technical support? Unless they can connect with a support agent, they’ll be unable to complete necessary work. This is why using a solution with remote support, which allows IT agents to provide troubleshooting and assistance from anywhere, is essential.
Education and supervision: Learning onsite and under experienced supervision is an integral part of medical training, and working remotely can make that more challenging. Medical organizations using remote radiology will need to adjust their training programs with distance learning tools to support remote training and education so trainees can still receive oversight and mentorship.
How Splashtop is Transforming Radiology: Secure Remote Access for Healthcare Professionals
So, how can radiologists securely work from anywhere and easily access all the records, data, and medical images they need? The answer is simple: with Splashtop.
Splashtop’s remote access solutions enable healthcare professionals to access their work computers from any device, anywhere, so they can securely and efficiently connect to the files, programs, and specialized tools they need.
Splashtop includes security controls that support HIPAA-compliant workflows, helping healthcare organizations protect patient data through encryption, authentication, and access controls. Splashtop is compliant with a wide range of industry and government regulations, including SOC2 Type 2 and PCI.
With its ease of use, high-quality remote sessions, and reliable connectivity, Splashtop enables radiologists and other healthcare workers to access their workstations securely from virtually any device. There’s a reason it’s trusted by multiple medical professionals and healthcare organizations, like Slingeland Hospital’s Sensing Clinic and Home Farm Family Medicine.
Discover Seamless Remote Access for Healthcare: Start Your Free Trial with Splashtop
Remote work is possible for more jobs than many would suspect, including many healthcare roles. For radiologists, Splashtop’s seamless remote access solutions can help them access all the tools and software they need, no matter where they’re working, giving them more flexibility, improving work-life balance, and empowering them to assist patients anywhere.
Want to see how Splashtop makes remote work easy and seamless? Get started with a free trial today.
