Investing in a teleradiology workstation is an investment in yourself.
Teleradiology is on a robust growth trajectory, projected to grow by an impressive 13.2% over the next ten years.1 With this growth comes the opportunity for radiologists to do some or all of their reading outside of a clinical setting. In this blog post we will discuss pros and cons of owning your own teleradiology equipment (“teleradiology workstation”), as it pertains to independent contractor teleradiology, and share some anecdotes about what others think about their own workstations.
We wrote this blog post because Excalibur has work we can offer to independent contractor radiologists that have their own reading equipment; however, Excalibur also has some work that includes the provision of equipment. Either way, we encourage you to reach out. If you are a radiologist seeking choices in your next career move, let’s discuss your personal needs, our current work openings, and perhaps we have the right teleradiology work for you.
Teleradiology Work – Contact Us – 888-212-4422
The fast pace of tech product development, personal preference, and the specific details of the work being offered all play a part in what equipment to choose. Standards for teleradiology are addressed by the ACR. For those reasons, this blog post is more focused on the “why.”
“I’m being offered teleradiology work with a free workstation. Why would I want work that requires that I buy my own?”
Benefits of Owning a Teleradiology Workstation
- If you own and maintain your workstation, it increases the number of jobs that are available to you. It’s surprising when some radiologists balk at the idea of investing in their own reading equipment. If you do the math, it does not take long to earn back the expense. Once you own a “reading station,” it adds freedom, allowing for more independence than an employed position might offer. Client-supplied workstations may be “locked down”, meaning, to only be used for the client that provides it.
- If a work opportunity provides a teleradiology workstation, it can be convenient; however, you could be expected to meet scheduling or productivity demands in return. It’s important to examine the commitment and find out just how much reading might be expected or required.
- Owning equipment can benefit the self-employment minded. If you are considering being a “career independent contractor,” hoping to build multiple relationships with more than one client, you wouldn’t want a room full of multiple, client-specific reading setups, would you?
- If scheduling flexibility is your priority, you may also be better positioned to negotiate smaller commitments if a client doesn’t need to ship you expensive provisions.
What is a teleradiology reading station?
A teleradiology reading station, sometimes called a workstation, is, quite simply, a computer/monitor/dictation setup that provides everything needed to allow a radiologist to work remotely. It allows for the interpretation of medical images. The workstation includes hardware and software (differs by client) to facilitate image and data transfer that allows radiologists to provide timely, accurate diagnoses.
Generically, typical teleradiology workstations include these generic counterparts:
(The bullet list is purposefully vague, not meant to be a shopping list.)
- Computer (capable of diagnostic reading)
- Keyboard
- Mouse
- Dictation mic
- Diagnostic quality monitors
- All appropriate cables
The Best Teleradiology Equipment – Anecdotes
Beyond the comfort of working from home, teleradiology work allows you to customize your workspace for optimal output and workflow, exactly to your preferences. Because diagnostic teleradiology involves a significant amount of sedentary work, your focus should be on building a radiology workstation that’s both practical for image reading & interpretation and comfortable for long sitting sessions.
We asked radiologists what their own personal teleradiology workstations consist of.
Here are some of their responses:
Getting Started with Teleradiology
Radiologists: If you’re interested in knowing more about the teleradiology Excalibur can offer, we encourage you to call us at 888-212-4422 or email [email protected]. We’d be happy to discuss your needs and share what we can offer in terms of current work openings, pay-per-click teleradiology work and flexible scheduling.
About our services – Contact Us – 888-212-4422
Further Reading:
American College of Radiology recommended specifications and practice parameters
https://www.lifetrackmed.com/en/radiology-reading-room/a-radiologists-dream-workstation-at-home
