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MRI Outsourcing Survey, 2005

March 2006

The BMA’s Radiology Subcommittee conducted a survey to establish the views of clinicians on outsourcing of radiological services during the summer of 2005 with the report compiled in the autumn. The survey was conducted because of the large number of concerns from radiologists and their consultant colleagues at the impact of the outsourcing. These were taken up by the Royal College of Radiologists whilst the report was being written.

Summary of clinicians’ views:
• Nearly half of respondents had experience of outsourcing.
• More than half of the respondents indicated that the average reporting time for the outsourced
provider was three weeks or more.
• Trust radiologists were often asked to interpret results and undertake new reports on those
allocated to the outsourced service provider.
• The range of service provided by outsourced providers was ‘limited’.
• Few rated the expertise of teleradiologists used by outsourced providers as good or very good.
• The way in which the quality of work of teleradiologists working for outsourced providers was
monitored varied, and many respondents were unsure how or even if this happened.
• Most respondents would choose not to use an outsourced service provider in the future.
• In general, surgeons and orthopaedic surgeons were critical of outsourcing of radiological services.

Please use the link on the right to download the report in full as a PDF.