As companies across the world are urging employees to work from home to help flatten the curve and keep the coronavirus from spreading more quickly, Radiology Business reports that the pandemic should serve as a wake-up call for hospitals to allow radiologists to work remotely.
Barry Julius, MD, a physician in nuclear medicine with Saint Barnabas Medical Centre in New Jersey, said: “Sometimes you need a wake-up call to get you going. And, the coronavirus is doing just that.
“This pandemic has demanded that the hospital should be focusing their resources, so that home teleradiology is available to their radiologists. It’s the right thing to do,” he added later.
The associate radiology residency director at Julius’ own practice offered up three arguments as to why physicians should be granted work-from-home privileges:
1) Reducing radiologist exposure: There will still be some staff required on-site, but it would be unnecessary for all to be present in person.
2) Increasing physician efficiency: The pandemic is likely to result in more patients requiring imaging services. If radiologists can work remotely, it would give hospitals much needed extra capacity.
3) Bolstering workforce flexibility: It’s most likely that some radiologists will contract the coronavirus, and only display minor symptoms. It could coerce them in to toughing it out and going in to work. Eliminating that options by encouraging more remote work will help prevent spreading the virus further.
It could also allow radiologists with children, at home from school during the pandemic, to contribute.
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