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Benjamin W. Strong, MD

Chief Medical Officer, Education Committee Chair. Dr. Strong is at the forefront of efforts to expand access to quality, affordable care through telemedicine. As CMO for the nation’s largest radiology practice, he collaborates with radiologist and hospital partners, uncovering opportunities to enhance the practice environment. Dr. Strong completed residency in internal medicine, then practiced emergency medicine before later being drawn to the fast-paced flow of diagnostic puzzles that is radiology.

Why Search Patterns Minimize Radiology Errors and Reduce Malpractice Risk—and How to Use Them

The thought of missing a critical finding can strike fear in the heart of even the most seasoned radiologist. So, when I’m asked which findings are most commonly missed, I don’t hesitate to answer. The most-missed findings that can lead to a devastating patient care outcome, or are most likely to land you in court, are spinal epidural abscesses, aortic dissection, ischemic bowel, intracranial hemorrhage and pulmonary embolism. The first three are most likely to result in a malpractice claim and may account for 40% of all indemnity payments paid by a practice. The remaining two, while they might not end in a lawsuit, are still some of the most common critical misses. 

The second thing radiologists want to know is, “What can I do to reduce the possibility of missing one of these pathologies?” And my answer is: Develop a solid search pattern and stick to it. With every single read. 

AI quality assurance models saving lives and millions in avoided med-mal

 

 

For the latest information on vRad’s Artificial Intelligence program please visit vrad.com/radiology-services/radiology-ai/

Unrecognized imaging findings are an unfortunate, but undeniable, part of radiology. New advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning offer a critical safety net that is improving care and saving lives — as well as avoiding millions of dollars in potential medical malpractice costs.

The top 7 ways radiologists can avoid medical malpractice claims

Originally published by Michael Walter on Radiology Business

Medical malpractice claims are a significant source of anxiety for all radiologists. Unfortunately, decisions made in the heat of the moment, with the absolute best intentions, can still land a specialist in court.

In my role as chief medical officer for vRad, I’m intimately involved with our radiology malpractice claims and have observed commonalities among them. To quantify these observations, I recently analyzed all 220 claims made against vRad radiologists between June 2017 and October 2020—applying a detailed classification taxonomy including the alleged type of miss, study type, if the standard of care was met, if communication failures contributed, settlement, and so on.

What emerged from that data was a clear set of guidelines to help radiologists avoid the costliest and most likely cases to go to trial.

Radiologist Salary Reckoning: Who Has Control Over Your Compensation?

Radiologist salaries average $420,000 to $430,000 annually. Last year was an outlier due to COVID, when the collective figure dipped to around $413,000, according to Medscape’s latest physician salary survey.

Whether or not your salary is in line with these figures, now is a great time to take stock and ask yourself the following:

  1. Am I happy with the money I’m making as a radiologist?
  2. Am I content with the hours I’m putting in to get there?
  3. Am I even in control of my earnings and how hard do I have to work?

6 Things Every Radiologist Should Know About CME

There’s no shortage of options for radiologists pursuing CME credits. In fact we sometimes find ourselves facing “overchoice,” a condition correctly predicted in 1970 by the late futurist Alvin Toffler. The phenomenon can cause us to browse, stall and procrastinate—only to make an impulse purchase just to get it over with.

A post-COVID radiologist job market, and what you should know

 

The 2021 radiologist job market finds radiologists at the mercy of those who would hire them. The imbalance has a lot to do with a certain public health crisis, so it may prove temporary. Regardless, radiologists seeking a new challenge would be shrewd to slow down their job search at least long enough to survey the situation.

Got five minutes? I’ve got some thoughts to share.

Video: What does a teleradiologist experience on the best radiology platform?

Behind the scenes, it takes a lot of complex technology and sophisticated software to make an advanced reading platform run so seamlessly. At vRad, our incomparable team of technologists and programmers are developing some of the most advanced applications in the medical industry, all with the goal of empowering radiologists to practice radiology free from unnecessary interruptions, distractions, logistical hurdles, and administrative burdens.

What vRad’s sale will mean for radiologists and clients

Our practice is for sale. And frankly, I’m pretty excited about it. Based on past experiences, the sale of vRad bodes well for the future of our practice, our staff and our clients.

These CT images lead to diagnosis of one of first COVID-19 patients in the U.S.

The video below includes images from the actual CT study of a COVID-19 patient in the United States. As this disease spreads rapidly worldwide, chest CTs are emerging as a critical diagnostic tool for this infection. The likelihood is high that more radiologists will be called upon for similar studies. Please share this case with your colleagues.

     

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