Ever since the pandemic, telework has been ingrained in the working routine of many radiologists around the world. Many work at home part of their time or even full-time. At least… in general radiology. We see that breast radiology has been slower to take up the trend, but also there it is happening. In this article I’ll dive into the teleworking trend in breast radiology, and what makes this sub-field of radiology so specific.
Key takeaways:
The field of radiology in general was an early adopter of digital workflows, transitioning from physical films to digital images as early as the 1980s. This digital shift has taken place quite early, compared to some other medical fields, like pathology, where technology has only reached sufficient maturity today to make digital workflows possible.
By the time the Covid-19 pandemic started, home reading was already gradually gaining popularity among radiologists worldwide. The pandemic accelerated this, making teleradiology a permanent fixture in the medical industry today.
While the acquisition of radiological images is explicitly bound to the physical location of the machines used due to their size – the hospital or imaging center –, the resulting digital images make it possible to organize their analysis and diagnosis elsewhere. Radiologists are among the first medical specialists that can perform their work entirely from home.
A major advantage of being able to work from home is that it relieves some of the pressure that comes with the field of radiology today, which is seeing a worldwide staff shortage and increasing case load due to the ageing population. Working from home, or from multiple locations for that matter, helps radiologists protect their work-life balance through reduced commuting time, better focus and increased productivity. Or as one of our UK customers told us:
Following the roll-out of at-home reporting during the pandemic, many consultants on our team noted what they felt was increased focus, reduced distractions and higher productivity when given the opportunity to report from home. This led to us examining the way our teams work and deciding that – even following the return to work as normal – at-home reporting should be incorporated into our long-term approach to work.
Additional benefits are the possibility to easily contact external specialists for complex cases and more flexibility in on-call shifts. Even hospitals with an in-house team of radiologists can rely on teleradiology services for emergency cases that come in outside regular working hours. In this way, teleradiology has an impact even on the patient level: they can be helped faster without medical quality getting compromised.
Still, we see that breast radiologists have been slower, though not less eager to follow the trend. Let’s look at some reasons for this.
Breast imaging demands high-resolution and high-brightness monitors as well as robust IT infrastructure to ensure diagnostic accuracy and instant access to an often large volume of prior studies. Many regions also have strict regulatory frameworks specifically for breast imaging. Setting up these systems at home is more complex than for general radiology, which often deals with less demanding imaging modalities and regulations.
Breast radiologists regularly perform or supervise image-guided procedures such as biopsies, localizations, and ultrasounds, which cannot be done remotely. Breast imaging also relies heavily on close collaboration with surgeons, oncologists, pathologists, and technologists, through multidisciplinary meetings and discussions about complex cases, wich are often still organized to take place physically.
Breast radiologists often hold leadership roles in quality assurance, patient safety, and program administration, which benefit from being physically present in the department. They are also frequently involved in direct teaching and supervision of trainees.
Though being in the hospital is required or at least beneficial for some aspects of breast radiology work, it should not completely obstruct telework and the benefits it offers.
Medical grade displays meeting breast imaging standards are increasingly flexible to be used in various environments. Higher resolutions and Fusion formats enable multimodality comparisons on just one screen. Secure, high-bandwidth networks and cloud-based PACS systems now support rapid image transmission.
Having one monitor instead of two, even standing next to each other, is a big advantage. Because you have a better view of everything that you need. So it makes your workflow easier.
Additionally, quality assurance and administrative tasks can be managed through digital dashboards, audit logs, and virtual meetings. Stronger even, many diagnostic departments even report increased efficiency and cost savings thanks to cloud-based QC management.
QAWeb has taken our workflow from fifteen to twenty hours of manual calibration down to about five to ten minutes.
While biopsies require on-site presence, screening interpretation and second-opinion consultations can be fully remote. Many institutions use video consultations for patient results, which often also benefit the patients themselves, as they don’t need to travel to the hospital for a discussion that might last no longer than fifteen minutes.
The same counts for multidisciplinary discussions, which also increasingly occur via secure teleconferencing tools with shared imaging platforms allowing real-time case reviews.
The pandemic normalized remote learning for younger generations who are tech-savvy and highly reliant on digital solutions anyway. Trainees can participate in remote readouts via screen-sharing and video calls, with structured feedback protocols. Similarly, regular virtual check-ins with colleagues maintain team dynamics.
A hybrid work schedule enables breast radiologists to be onsite for specific procedures and in-person meetings, maintaining contact with their team, but also offers them the time and focus needed to read cases in a comfortable environment at home.
Whether breast radiologists work at home or in a hospital setting, the activity of reading and diagnosing is the same, with the same risks and stakes. Wherever breast radiologists work, they need qualitative and compliant infrastructure.
Breast radiologists who only work at home sporadically can opt for a basic or simplified setup. But our experience has taught us that many will opt for a decent system that is ready for changes in work behavior and will last many years without requiring large interventions or updates.
Such a high quality display makes our job very enjoyable. And my work definitely will be much more effective and quicker.
Whichever way breast radiologists decide to organize their work; qualitative and compliant infrastructure that supports their work efficiency and comfort is the way to go. While challenges exist, advancements in technology and workflow optimization demonstrate that telework in breast radiology is not only feasible but increasingly practical – particularly when combined with hybrid models that balance remote interpretation with on-site procedural work.
