1st May 2009
"This is a dramatic and impressive advance in the provision of health services"
NHS patients all over Britain are benefiting from a new high-tech diagnostic service provided by highly-trained doctors working from suburban family homes.
Dr. Paul Wheeler is a local NHS consultant radiologist who also works in his own time from his garden office in Hale Barns where he receives medical scans from around the country and provides expert diagnoses.
He is one of a number of consultant radiologists in the North West using high-tech equipment installed by the London based company MEDICA, the UK’s largest remote radiology reporting network.
The system, known as teleradiology, allows traditionally hospital-based consultants to work from home - and the impact is proving significant.
This highly innovative approach is helping hospitals to counter the national shortage of radiologists. It is also creating a positive environmental impact with leading medical experts able to reduce the number of times they have to commute to and from their hospital base. The clinical advantages are also considerable.
With pressure growing on the National Health Service (NHS) to hit 18 week targets - targets likely to be reduced even further over the coming months - waiting lists are critical in the assessment of all NHS Trust’s performance. Radiology proves no exception.
Having witnessed the substantial benefits of this new approach to assessing a patient’s condition, Dr. Wheeler said:
“This really is a dramatic and extremely impressive advance in the provision of health services and healthcare in general. As well as routine reporting we operate a service known as ‘Nighthawk’ which provides out-of-hours cover.
“For example, a scan of a patient attending an Accident and Emergency (A&E) Unit can be sent immediately to me. The subsequent assessment can be back with the Unit within an hour. Such rapid and effective diagnosis is of obvious advantage to the patient involved and the medical team at the A&E Unit.”
As well as routine reporting and the Nighthawk service, Medica also operates an ultra-rapid Dayhawk service for stroke patients and other emergency daytime cover.
When on duty, Dr. Wheeler regularly finds himself helping patients at hospitals all over the country, as far away as Kent and Cornwall.
Dr. Wheeler, aged 36, is married to Helen, 40, a former nurse. The couple have four children; Emily, 9, Edward, 7, Jessica, 5, and Patrick, 3.
“The Medica service is of significant benefit to NHS hospital trusts as they are seeing a much quicker diagnostic turn-around,” said Dr Wheeler. “From a personal point of view I can now work from my garden office at times to suit myself, whether it be evenings or weekends, and with fewer interruptions. I also see a lot more of my growing family this way.”
Demand continues to be created due to the greater use of diagnostics. Teleradiology is set to be rolled out and developed across the country and will play a pivotal role in providing exceptional patient service now and in the future.
For further information about this news article, contact John V. Wright, Blue Planet Communications, 01782 711978.
For further information on our remote Reporting Service, please telephone
0845 0569 750 and ask for the Business Development Team, or email us: info@medicagroup.co.uk
