Health care would cease without diagnostic imaging

Johan Carlegrim, President of Sectra Medical Education, discusses the value and necessity of incorporating advanced diagnostic imaging tools and realistic simulations into the medical curriculum to enhance the student learning process and improve student retention. personnel in the health sector.

I have dedicated my entire professional life to implementing innovations in diagnostic imaging. Alongside many of the world’s leading health care organizations, I am driven by the shared belief that our work can help health systems address the enormous increase in imaging tests and the challenges of of resources so that we can continue to rely on this keystone of health care. Imaging tests, in the form of an X-ray, MRI, gastroscopy video or digital pathology slide, for example, play a vital role in almost every field of medicine, providing essential information on patient care – from diagnosis to treatment and follow-up. -up. This information, often pixel-based, is an essential part of the patient record, and modern healthcare organizations are implementing enterprise-wide IT systems to manage this data and ensure its availability throughout along the patient journey. For the most image- and resource-intensive departments, including radiology, pathology, cardiology and orthopedics, these highly advanced systems are essential to achieving the clinical workflow efficiencies needed to cope with massive demand .

A labor crisis

Most people are tired of hearing about problems with healthcare resources. Nevertheless, we find ourselves in the midst of a cataclysmic situation for the social protection system. In the context of diagnostic imaging, the aging population and the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, the demand for these services is increasing significantly. As a result, I see daily examples of how the diagnostic imaging workforce is extremely stretched, with very negative consequences for them and their patients. Unfortunately, the future resource situation looks even more dire, as imaging exams are expected to continue to grow much faster than the number of diagnosticians, and the current workforce is predominantly comprised of near-health professionals. retirement age. In the United States, of the 20,970 radiologists engaged in acute patient care, more than half are age 55 or older. ⁽¹⁾ The situation is similar in the UK and in low- and middle-income countries the shortage could be even more acute, with rural areas suffering the most.

In radiology, the challenge extends well beyond radiologists who focus on reviewing scans for diagnostic purposes. Who performs the imaging exams is another major concern, as more than 80% of healthcare facilities surveyed by the Advanced Health Education Center in 2021 have difficulty filling vacant radiologist (radiology technologist) positions. ⁽²⁾ Without radiologists, resolving resource issues in other roles will not be helpful. UK universities are reporting that there were not enough students to fill places on diagnostic radiography courses in 2021-22, and according to the Society of Radiographers, more than one in five radiography students dropped out course during the same period. ⁽³⁾ The medical educators we work closely with attest to the growing challenge of attracting and maintaining students’ attention, as well as keeping them effective and engaged in the healthcare system over time.

Simulated diagnostics – part of the solution

When speaking with medical students, it is clear that they are eager to understand early on the meaning of their future role and its positive impact on patient care. The younger generation seems not only impatient, but also very determined. An excess of theoretical study, when disconnected from practical application, tends to disengage and demotivate students. Conversely, the aspect of medical education most valued by students is the opportunity for hands-on practice that accurately reflects real-world scenarios. In the field of radiography education, OsloMet University in Norway has successfully defied broader trends of insufficient applicant numbers and retention. By ensuring students have online access to the latest diagnostic imaging tools and learning materials, both on campus and during clinical rotations, the university experiences very low attrition rates. She has no trouble filling in the gaps in her x-ray schedule. It appears that teaching students with 20-year-old technology no longer meets the contemporary demands of medical education.

In our experience with radiology departments at top U.S. teaching hospitals, medical students on clinical rotations are very excited to move from observer status to hands-on diagnosis using tools and data real imaging. However, this presents a challenge in practice since they cannot become directly involved in current patient cases. In some encouraging examples, the solution has been to provide every student with access to patient diagnostic practice using a fully realistic, cloud-based diagnostic simulation platform with anonymized real-world cases . This sandbox solution significantly improves the learning experience, reduces supervision time and standardizes training ensuring equal access to high-quality education for all students. For universities, this also provides additional benefits by addressing the lack of clinical placements. Realistic simulations in the program can alleviate the problem of limited clinical training places, potentially allowing more students to be accommodated.

Embracing lifelong learning

Just a decade ago, it would have been impossible to learn in medical school how AI is having a profound impact on digital pathology today, just as students or their teachers (or don’t no matter who else) have little knowledge of what it will be like in another decade. As the pace of technical innovation and research continues to accelerate in medicine, particularly in diagnostic imaging, innovations and advances in medical practices must be adopted at a faster pace than today, and a fundamental change in mentality is necessary. A successful health care career and practice requires learning to move from a preparatory phase to an integral and inseparable component of the health care process.

Being at the forefront of this development and providing continuing education opportunities has already become essential for many healthcare establishments to ensure their competitiveness and efficiency. Major teaching hospital chains in the United States now view platforms dedicated to continuing medical education as critical strategic assets. These initiatives are imperative not only to improve the overall quality of healthcare delivery, but also to attract and retain personnel in highly competitive and shortage areas. By prioritizing and investing in realistic simulation tools and processes for continuing education, healthcare providers are underscoring their commitment to excellence and innovation, and this positions them as employers of choice for healthcare professionals looking to advance their skills and knowledge throughout their careers.

The references

1. Montecalvo R. Radiologist Staffing Trends 2021. V Rad. February 18, 2021
2. National shortage of radiology personnel? – AHEConline Blog
3. Supporting Students: How to Address the Radiography Workforce Crisis | SoR