Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Will radiology survive the onslaught of referring physicians who are taking over imaging by installing scanners in their own offices? The topic has been the subject of endless discussion in AuntMinnie's Forums, and this week it's the focus of our Question of the Week.
Pessimists make the argument that radiology has been unable to defend inroads made by referring physicians who want greater control over patients -- and payments -- by performing imaging in their own offices. From cardiac catheterization to echocardiography to nuclear cardiology, radiology has consistently been on the losing end of most major turf battles.
But optimists counter by stating that there will always be a need for independent interpretation of medical images. Even referring physicians who have their own scanners need help dealing with incidental findings, for example. In any event, there are plenty of other imaging procedures to ensure radiology's survival as a standalone medical specialty, the argument goes.
Judging by the voting so far, most AuntMinnie members are optimists, with votes running heavily in favor of the "radiology will survive" option. Let us know your opinion by visiting our Question of the Week page, at question.auntminnie.com.
And remember, all Question of the Week participants will receive an entry into our monthly drawing for an Apple iPod nano portable music player. Our most recent winner was Dr. Ron Konecke of Forty Fort, PA. You get an entry for every question you answer, so vote early and often! (Remember, you can vote only once for the current week's question.)
