How is Digital Diagnostics Delivery Different from Teleradiology?
The pace of technological developments within the medical imaging and diagnostics industry has quickened in recent years and will continue to do so. The introduction of new products, technologies, and services has all contributed to this trend. Furthermore, digital technologies have transformed the healthcare industry. One of the most significant changes has been the shift toward digital diagnostics delivery and teleradiology. While both approaches involve the use of technology to facilitate medical diagnosis and treatment, there are major differences between the two.
Difference between Digital Diagnostics Delivery and Teleradiology
Teleradiology involves the remote interpretation of radiology scans, such as X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, etc. It allows radiologists to provide diagnostic reporting services from a remote location, which is particularly useful for diagnostic facilities that lack on-site radiology expertise.
Whereas digital diagnostics delivery is a vast term that refers to optimizing the workflow of diagnostic delivery from imaging to reporting. It covers everything from imaging to reporting and delivering excellent patient support. On average, 15,00,000 scans are performed in India in a day, resulting in increased waiting time and error rates due to shortage of radiologists. Therefore, digital diagnostics delivery is an important area of focus for radiology because it can improve patient care and reduce error rates by reducing waiting time to get a scan done and improving the accuracy of diagnostic reporting.
Need for Digital Diagnostics Delivery
Diagnostics plays a vital role in the healthcare industry to improve the quality of medical care. It is an important part of healthcare delivery as it helps in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The Indian diagnostics market holds immense potential and is projected to reach $20 billion by FY 2026. Of the billion dollars worth of market, standalone centers account for 48% market share, followed by hospital-based labs with 37% share and national chains accounting for only 5% share. India’s diagnostic industry is severely limited by a substantial demand-supply gap in the number of patient footfalls as well as availability of equipment for scans at diagnostic establishments.
With this in mind, it is evident that the future of the diagnostic industry depends on its ability to adapt to a changing market and develop new methods for improving efficiency, report quality, and patient experience. One solution that can prove to be effective is the implementation of a digital diagnostics delivery system. It includes a collaborative network of multiple diagnostic establishments and connects them with patients via online and offline patient aggregators.
Benefits of Digital Diagnostics Delivery
1. Single point contact management
Digital diagnostics delivery platform provides solutions that hospitals, diagnostic centers, and aggregators have been looking for to improve patient flow. It takes patient information from all departments—including scheduling and billing — and creates a single point for all communication in one place. It makes the entire process more streamlined and efficient for patients, diagnostic establishments, and aggregators.
2. Collaborative network of diagnostic establishments
Digital diagnostic delivery platform establishes a collaborative network of diagnostic centers so that patients can choose the centers as per their need. Additionally, it also reduces the dependency on selected diagnostic centers, thereby optimizing the patient experience.
3. Increased asset utilization
Digital diagnostic delivery platform allows diagnostic centers to make the most of their equipment to serve more patients. The equipment doesn't go to waste, and the diagnostic center earns more money from its services as they get a large number of patients from online and offline aggregators.
4. Smooth patient experience
A visit to the diagnostic center can be a stressful, anxiety-inducing experience for some. Prodigi is making it easier and more pleasant for patients by allowing them to view the treatment plan, book appointments using their smartphone, and receive reminders.
