13th April 2010
Medica supports call for tighter regulation of teleradiology services
Medica, the UK’s largest teleradiology company with more than 70 consultant radiologists in the field, has supported calls from the European Union for tighter regulation of the teleradiology market.
The move follows concerns expressed by the European Society of Radiology and the European Commission about linguistic problems and incorrect wordings in reports - and a call for the proper accreditation of teleradiologists in the country where they deliver their services.
“I am not surprised to see this issue moving centre stage in Europe because apart from the patient safety issues it is a potential legal minefield too”, said Simon Rasalingham, Medica’s Chief Executive.
“The reason that Medica uses only UK-trained, UK-based and UK-practising consultants is that NHS healthcare professionals tell us that they prefer to receive reports written by these people because they use NHS standard approaches to preparing reports and use UK standard reporting language.
“They also like the fact that Medica’s services are provided on demonstrably secure networks and are safer for the patient because the author has access to the patient’s medical record and clinical history.
“Our hope is that the Royal College of Radiologists will move quickly to work with the Department of Health to lay down the statutory framework for the provision of teleradiology services before the EU does. We need to show a lead in this matter”.
The potential for clinical and legal risks was discussed at a joint session of the European Society of Radiology and European Commission held Saturday, March 6.
Delegates were told that there was “a legal void” concerning the use of teleradiology in the EU which may impair patient care.
“The situation has many potential dangers both for the patient and the commissioning health provider and the EU has indicated that these dangers will be magnified if teleradiology moves from its current specific role to a general method of service delivery,” added Mr Rasalingham.
“We already know from Dr Erika Denton’s report to the British Institute of Radiology scientific meeting last December that this is exactly what is going to happen”.
For further information about this news article, contact John V. Wright, Blue Planet Communications, 07710 454214.
Notes for Editors
EUROPEAN SOCIETY OF RADIOLOGY
The joint session heard concerns that “linguistic problems or incorrect wording in a report or description of clinical impact” could occur during the practice of teleradiology. To increase patient safety, quality controls should be implemented.
Prof. Luís Donoso from Barcelona, who is chair of the professional organisation committee and a member of the executive council of the ESR, explained that there were a number of legal concerns, such as the proper accreditation of teleradiologists in the country where they deliver their services and agreements between local radiologists and the teleradiologist.
Responsibility for the regulation of teleradiology, said Prof. Donoso, must lie with the state where the patient undergoes the imaging procedure. Likewise, patients had a right to know if they were being provided with a service from a country other than the one where treatment was received.
MEDICA
The Medica Group partners more than 70 NHS Trusts across the country and today operates the largest remote radiology reporting network in the UK.
Its consultant radiologists report on patient scans derived from X-Ray, MRI, CT, Ultrasound and other medical technologies.
Each consultant is equipped at home with a state-of-the-art PACS (Picture Archiving and Communications System) workstation. Connecting directly into the secure RIS (Radiology Information System) at the hospital where the patient was scanned, consultants provide both verbal and detailed written reports on the scans they have received. These essential reports enable doctors at the hospital to determine the best course of treatment for their patients.
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