5 February 2025

At the end of last month, online news publication Health Services Daily reported that more than half of radiologists cite burnout and stress as the most significant threat to the sustainability of their profession. This was according to a survey of than 700 radiologists from Australia and around the world. ASMIRT has released the following statement in regards to the story.

ASMIRT can relate to radiologists who cite stress and burnout as a major concern for their profession. However, radiology departments could make greater use of their highly trained radiographers who can support radiologists by speaking up when they see something pathologically significant. Known as Preliminary Image Evaluation, this existing informal workflow has been shown to reduce diagnostic and communicative errors, while leaving radiologists responsible for diagnosis.

“When radiographers write their own comments on radiographs and effectively triage them for the radiologist, patients can receive a diagnosis faster,” says Carolyn Heyes, ASMIRT President.

“In particular, in rural and remote areas, where time may be of the essence, these comments can be crucial in helping emergency team staff prioritise patients to achieve optimum outcomes.”

The Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia (MRPBA) requires all radiographers to identify significant pathology in medical images, but the practice may be underutilised. Studies show radiographer comments are often inconsistent or undocumented.

The radiologist workforce has been under strain in Australia for a long period. Only 12 per cent of Australia’s radiologists work in rural and remote areas, compared to 28 per cent of Australians who live there.

“By working together and fully utilising the skills of Australia’s highly trained radiographer workforce, we can significantly reduce the strain on radiologists,” Ms Heyes says.

Teleradiology, while valuable, is only part of the solution. We note that the survey referenced in Burnout the biggest concern for radiologists was funded by a teleradiology company.