Reschke Philipp, Gruenewald Leon D, Koch Vitali, Gotta Jennifer, Booz Christian, Mahmoudi Scherwin, Bernatz Simon, Gökduman Aynur, Höhne Elena, Eichler Katrin, Schlüchtermann Jörg, Vogl Thomas J, Yel Ibrahim
Goethe University Hospital Frankfurt, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Faculty of Law, Business and Economics, University of Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany.
Diagnostics (Basel). 2025 Apr 10;15(8):962. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics15080962.
This study examines the role of teleradiology and outpatient imaging in addressing gaps in rural radiology, analyzing the perspectives of referring physicians and radiologists. : An online survey was conducted with a primary focus on evaluating the perspectives of referring physicians, including practicing surgeons, internists, and general practitioners. Their responses were then compared with those of radiologists. The survey consisted of multiple sections covering demographics, attitudes toward teleradiology, and outpatient imaging. It employed Likert scales, semantic differential scales, multiple-choice questions, and weighted ranking systems. A total of 171 participants were included in the survey, consisting of 50 internists, 40 surgeons, 48 general practitioners, and 33 radiologists. A total of 79.2% of referring physicians rated teleradiology positively (at least 4 out of 5 stars), although its adoption in Germany remains limited, with 80.4% of referring physicians and 55.6% of radiologists reporting minimal to no use in their regions. Key concerns among referring physicians included the "lack of communication of teleradiologists with requesting physicians" (50%) and "lack of diagnostic consultations of radiologists with patients" (26.7%). In contrast, radiologists expressed significantly greater concern about technical failures (28.6% vs. 3.3%, < 0.05). Additionally, 59.5% of referring physicians identified teleradiology as a crucial factor for improving access to radiology in rural areas. With regard to outpatient imaging, referring physicians valued continuity of care most highly, while radiologists prioritized minimizing wait times. : Referring physicians view teleradiology and outpatient imaging as promising solutions for bridging the gap in radiology access between urban and rural areas. Addressing concerns like communication barriers and ensuring technical reliability are critical to its broader adoption and implementation.
本研究探讨远程放射学和门诊影像在弥合农村放射学差距方面的作用，分析转诊医生和放射科医生的观点。开展了一项在线调查，主要侧重于评估转诊医生的观点，包括执业外科医生、内科医生和全科医生。然后将他们的回答与放射科医生的回答进行比较。该调查包括多个部分，涵盖人口统计学、对远程放射学的态度以及门诊影像。采用了李克特量表、语义差异量表、多项选择题和加权排序系统。共有171名参与者纳入调查，其中包括50名内科医生、40名外科医生、48名全科医生和33名放射科医生。尽管德国对远程放射学的采用仍然有限，80.4%的转诊医生和55.6%的放射科医生报告称其所在地区很少使用或根本不使用，但仍有总计79.2%的转诊医生对远程放射学给予了积极评价（至少五星中的四星）。转诊医生的主要担忧包括“远程放射科医生与申请医生缺乏沟通”（50%）以及“放射科医生与患者缺乏诊断会诊”（26.7%）。相比之下，放射科医生对技术故障的担忧明显更高（28.6%对3.3%，P<0.05）。此外，59.5%的转诊医生认为远程放射学是改善农村地区放射学服务可及性的关键因素。关于门诊影像，转诊医生最看重护理的连续性，而放射科医生则优先考虑尽量缩短等待时间。转诊医生将远程放射学和门诊影像视为弥合城乡放射学服务差距的有前景的解决方案。解决沟通障碍等问题并确保技术可靠性对于其更广泛的采用和实施至关重要。
