To further address workforce efficiency, hospitals and equipment manufacturers can deepen their existing relationship by forming collaborative partnerships. These next-level partnerships can lead to the acquisition of advanced technology that can ease a hospital’s labor woes.

For example, the latest analytics or scheduling software can help identify the right employee and imaging equipment at the right time for the right task, to drive the most effective outcomes. More dramatically, remote scanning technologies can enable a technologist in North Carolina, for example, to scan patients in Florida or Virginia. This approach requires a less-costly patient handler at the patient site in lieu of a technologist. With remote scanning now a viable option, states are evaluating current regulations to permit its use, ensuring safety and comfort for the patient and onsite clinical staff. Expect growth in this area to continue over the next five to 10 years.


Such unconventional approaches to addressing radiology’s workforce shortage are, by their very nature, disruptive. Healthcare institutions must carefully evaluate any outside-the-box solution that lacks a long-term track record of success.

Fortunately, these sorts of alternative solutions are gaining traction. More healthcare organizations realize that they must approach workforce challenges from another angle, as standard approaches yield insufficient results and rival institutions adopt more progressive policies. By embracing new solutions for radiology’s labor pains, hospitals can maximize their workforce efficiency with existing staff and tap the full potential of the increasingly innovative imaging technology at their disposal.

About the author: Nanci Wozniak is the Vice President of Education and Workforce Solutions at Siemens Healthineers North America.

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