Outsourcing teleradiology to India

According to a Reuters report in the Washington Post, some hospitals in the U.S. are now outsourcing their teleradiology assignments to India:

Bangalore, the outsourcing capital of the world, is becoming a global center for telemedicine thanks to a pool of Western educated doctors, extensive outsourcing infrastructure, lower costs and a convenient time zone to diagnose medical conditions during the U.S. night.

Teleradiologists in India read x-rays, CT scans, MRIs and other medical images of patients in the United States, Singapore and a host of other countries around the world.
It's ideal for hospitals facing ballooning costs and a shortage of radiologists. And it's not just teleradiology, experts say just about every area of medicine that does not require direct patient interaction could be outsourced in the future.

Needless to say, this kind of arrangement has its critics, and issues of competency and provileges are critical ones. Either way, I’d love to hear MSPs’ thoughts on this issue, especially if their hospital has already started doing this, or if it’s being considered.


Todd Morrison
Managing editor, credentialing
HCPro