Telehealth has grown in popularity as a result of COVID-19, with advancements in technology enabling medical providers to treat patients while working remotely to decrease the risk of contracting and spreading the virus. According to a report from market research firm Grand View Research, by 2024 teleradiology is on track to be a $8.24 billion business.

Remote reading also helps preserve personal protective equipment and other critical care resources during the pandemic, while maintaining critical radiology functions to provide high-quality care to patients. Institutions like Emory University School of Medicine and NYU have created radiology outposts and isolated reading rooms in their hospitals and outpatient imaging centers. In addition to these workstations, many facilities are enabling at-home work as well, while some radiologists are turning to remote work as a new career option.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently announced a regulation that has broadened access to Medicare telehealth services, allowing members to receive expanded services from providers without visiting a healthcare facility in-person. In-state licensing requirements for radiologists have also been loosened to allow cross-state reading with teleradiology, creating an opportunity for providers to expand their teleradiology practices.

Teleradiology solutions like cloud-based workstations and mobile applications make it easier for radiologists to analyze images more efficiently and quickly remotely. In addition to imaging performance, which is how large medical images are displayed and processed, the entire reading environment—which includes the reading list, report creator, and patient history—should be taken into account. Reading environment consistency is key to productivity so that radiologists can focus on interpreting studies. This includes having good technological support and ensuring that remote workstation hardware and monitors are deployed appropriately.

Investing in a good radiology information system (RIS) and picture archive & communication system (PACS) will also help conduct business more efficiently and speed up communications. Having a good RIS can help radiologists keep track of patient progress, combine and generate multiple reports, share information with others while safeguarding patient information, and schedule appointments more easily. The main purpose of a PACS is to make it easier to store, manage, and send diagnostic imaging files including CAT scans, MRIs and X-rays.

Security and patient privacy are extremely important to ensure security integrity on remote reading workstations and make sure that radiologists are securely sharing patient information outside of the medical facility. A virtual private network (VPN) or other secure connection in accordance with the hospital or medical center’s security policies should always be used. In instances where a facility is using two-factor authentication, a device like a key fob reader may be required to add an extra level of security in a remote reading environment.

Even after COVID-19 subsides, teleradiology will continue to set a new standard with far-reaching implications for the medical industry. Remote reading helps hospitals and imaging centers offer continuous high-quality patient care, while at the same time improving radiologists’ work flow and providing them with a competitive business advantage.