How Hospitals Can Overcome the Radiologist Shortage

Radiologists are instrumental on any health care team, using ultrasound, CT scans, MRIs, X-rays and other imaging technology to ensure accurate diagnoses that empower medical professionals to personalize patient treatment plans.

However, the nationwide radiologist shortage poses a significant challenge. Read our guide to learn about the reasons behind this crisis and get ideas for improving radiologist retention.

Is There a Shortage of Radiologists?

According to the American College of Radiology, the answer is a resounding “yes.” There are approximately 1,400 job opportunities in the radiology sector, reflecting the demand in the industry.

The radiologist shortage has hit some parts of the country harder than others. The U.S. Bureau of Labor indicates the situation is worse in these states:

• Alaska
• Hawaii
• Louisiana
• Montana
• South Dakota
• West Virginia
• Wyoming

Medical imaging procedures are often the first step in diagnosing a patient, and hospitals require sufficient staff to interpret the images correctly. A lack of radiologists leads to longer wait times, ultimately delaying a patient's diagnosis and treatment. Similarly, a radiology shortage can result in heavier workloads for existing staff. Overworked medical professionals may overlook critical data, resulting in a lower quality of care.

Why Is There a Shortage of Radiologists?

There are roughly 31,960 radiologists in the U.S. — not nearly enough to meet the population's needs. Here are some reasons behind this national shortage.

• Growing demand: Experts predict the older population will increase by 47% by 2050. As people age, they often need more imaging procedures, increasing the demand for radiologists.
• Burnout: A combination of unclear job expectations, hospital culture challenges and work-life imbalance may cause radiologists to experience burnout. Increased working hours often exacerbate the situation.
• Recruitment barriers: The radiologist shortage is a global phenomenon, yet language restrictions and different licensing systems present further obstacles.
• Workforce turnover: Radiologists of retirement age and those suffering from burnout contribute to high turnover rates, intensifying the shortage because there are not enough qualified professionals to fill the vacancies.
• Limited AI usage: Businesses in every sector use artificial intelligence to increase workplace efficiency. Many radiology practices have yet to harness AI for data management, contributing to high workloads.

How to Combat the Radiologist Shortage

There's no doubt that radiologists are in demand — but how can hospitals attract and retain these skilled professionals? Here are seven strategies to consider.

1. Teleradiology

Teleradiology allows radiologists to transfer imaging findings using cloud services. Radiologists using this innovative technology can work from their practice, private residence or anywhere else in the world.

According to a Pew Research survey, 71% of remote employees say working from home lets them maintain a healthier work-life balance. Offering radiologists increased flexibility in their schedules will minimize burnout and enable workers to better fulfill family commitments. In addition, teleradiology opens the candidate field for employers, helping them locate radiologists quickly.

2. Address Burnout

Employers that acknowledge burnout and its associated problems can train their teams how to recognize and act on the signs. Superiors should proactively help their reports address burnout.

• Regular feedback sessions: Hosting one-on-one or group feedback sessions encourages radiologists to express specific concerns contributing to job-related fatigue. Team leaders can then suggest appropriate stress-relief methods.
• Show appreciation: Remember to express your gratitude and appreciation for radiologists' hard work. Highlight specific examples of when they have gone the extra mile.

Radiologists who experience less stress will likely have higher job satisfaction. Increased workplace happiness reduces radiologist turnover and ensures you retain top talent.

3. Offer Learning Opportunities

The high costs associated with medical studies may deter students from pursuing radiology as a career. Hospitals that offer scholarships help students obtain the necessary qualifications to enter this field.

Students nearing graduation will start searching for jobs. New graduates may gravitate toward the organizations that gave them a chance to pursue their educational goals, resulting in a new hire.

4. Partner With Schools

Hospitals that support local schools gain exposure among current students working to complete a degree. Here are some ideas for supporting nearby educational programs.

• Sponsoring events: School calendars have plenty of events, from sports days to arts and culture evenings. Making a monetary contribution toward an event may allow you to promote your brand by featuring your logo or even having an information booth.
• Funding buildings: Consider donating to a school that is upgrading its mathematics classrooms or investing in a new biology lab. Supporting radiology-related subjects solidifies the connection to your health care brand.
• Initiating educational programs: While radiology is only available as a university subject, there are ways to introduce this field of study to high schoolers. Consider curating some educational resources to entice future radiologists.

5. Use AI

Gone are the days when radiologists had to manually collate imaging data. Incorporate image routing and prefetching solutions to help your team optimize their workload.

By streamlining processes, radiologists can reduce the likelihood of burnout, lower stress and remove work-related burdens.

6. Limit International Recruitment Barriers

Making the recruitment process more inclusive broadens your talent pool. Removing geoblocking technologies from your website will encourage radiologists worldwide to apply online, significantly reducing international recruitment barriers.

In addition, you should use clear and concise language so recruits can easily translate the information into their native language.

7. Offer Residency Roles

Qualified radiologists have completed the theoretical and practical elements of their coursework. Offering additional residency roles or internships at your health network enables you to mentor up-and-coming professionals, also benefiting experienced radiologists.

Increased residency and training roles can result in new hires. A further benefit is that these recruits have already learned the ropes at your workplace, making them a seamless fit with your team.

Streamline Image Viewing With Candelis

Many factors contribute to the national radiologist shortage, yet burnout is a leading cause. Help your radiologist team create a healthy work-life balance by optimizing workflows and offering more flexibility.

Candelis strives to provide hospitals, imaging centers and health care equipment providers with cutting-edge medical data management and PACS solutions. Our cost-effective products are also easy to integrate into your processes to boost your overall productivity. Contact our professional team to learn more about our cloud services for teleradiology, or book a free demo with us to see how our solutions optimize data management. We look forward to helping you elevate your radiology workflow so you can attract and retain top talent!