Hospitals are beginning to look into outsourcing medical imaging to sophisticated computer controlled “artificial intelligence” (AI) programs.  While technology may provide lower costs by increasing quality of care and provider efficiency, there are still plenty of road blocks to overcome.  Radiologists should not worry just yet.  They are still necessary to interpret the information that computers produce.  Without someone to make sense of the data, it is useless.

By use of AI and machine-learning algorithms, the idea is for these new computers to find patterns in images and identify specific markers that the human eye cannot catch.  Early trials have been accurate and efficient.  The algorithms are “trained” to recognize conditions such as a stroke and cardiac conditions.  If tests continue to be successful, there is a potential for this technology to cause drastic changes to what Radiologists do in the future.  Read the attached Modern Healthcare article for more detailed information on current trials in progress.  Article

Published by:  Modern Healthcare:  Rachel Z. Arndt, July 8, 2017