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US Radiology Imaging and Workforce Volumes 2017-2024: An Analysis of 46.4 Million Imaging Examinations From 167
Haniyeh Zamani1, Tom Fruscello2, Judy Burleson2
1Wayne State University Medical School, Detroit, Michigan.
Purpose:
To determine changes in site- and radiologist-specific imaging volumes before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic from a large, diverse sample of US radiology practices.
Methods:
Imaging volumes (46.4 million examinations) for 1,571 unique radiologists and 167 United States radiology practices in 19 states (academic [n ≤ 5], community hospital [n = 71], multispecialty clinic [n ≤ 5], freestanding imaging center [n = 86], other [n ≤ 5]) participating in the ACR General Radiography Improvement Database (part of the National Radiology Data Registry, which is a CMS-approved Qualified Clinical Data Registry) from December 1, 2017, to February 29, 2024, were analyzed. These dates included baseline, pandemic, and postpandemic periods. Six modalities were analyzed: CT, mammography, MRI, x-ray, ultrasound, and PET-CT. National Provider Identifiers (NPIs) were used to track individual radiologists. Changes in workforce number (by NPI), workload (examinations per day), NPI attrition, and NPI turnover were calculated by quarter.
Results:
Of 1,571 radiologists, 671 (43%) worked full time and read ≥100 examinations per quarter throughout the baseline period and final study quarter. Mean aggregate change in examinations read per day per radiologist from baseline to study end was modest (+0.6% [49.1 per day to 49.4 per day]). However, the top quartile radiologists (by examination volume) experienced meaningful increases in examinations per day (+30.6%; 73.9 examinations per day versus 56.6 examinations per day [baseline]) and clinical days worked per quarter (+19.7%; 46.2 days per quarter versus 38.6 days per quarter [baseline]). The number of working radiologists increased 23.6% (1,094 versus 885 [baseline]) with substantial turnover. Days worked per radiologist per quarter remained similar (37.2 days versus 39.1 days, -4.9%). Sharp examination declines during the COVID-19 pandemic were not associated with large reductions in the radiologist workforce.
Conclusion:
Although the average radiologist read a similar number of examinations per day pre- versus postpandemic, the top quartile radiologists read 30.6% more examinations per day and work 19.7% more clinical shifts per quarter compared with the first quarter of 2018.
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