Technology is good but overwhelming- While advancements in RIS technology are intended to make practices more efficient, they can also be burdensome. 38 percent of respondents said keeping up with technology was the most pressing challenge they faced in 2018. A barrage of new updates and innovations, some incompatible with earlier versions, can be overwhelming on a practice, especially those smaller in size. In 2017, radiology professionals cited accessing and leveraging large amounts of data at the practice level as their biggest hurdle.
Concern over regulatory mandates- From meaningful use to MACRA, MIPS, APM and other regulatory requirements, the radiology industry has seen a number of initiatives imposed in recent years, and the survey reveals they are taking a toll. 30 percent of respondents cited the ongoing need to keep up with regulatory mandates as their top concern. Heading into what promises to be another unpredictable year in healthcare, McGonigle suggests this concern is likely to linger throughout 2019.
"In only its second year, it's nice to see this initiative become a useful barometer for today's radiology marketplace," added McGonigle. "We'll look forward to keeping our finger on the pulse of the industry and learning what ideas, issues and trends helped shape the State of RIS in 2019."
The industrywide survey was conducted November 27 through December 31, 2018, in collaboration with Survey Monkey. Respondents included attendees at the 2018 Radiological Society of North America annual meeting, members of the MedInformatix customer community and a general audience of radiology professionals.
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