Navigating Challenges in Teleradiology Implementation: A Case Study from Saudi Arabia’s Healthcare System

Figures & data

Table 1 Domains and Items Addressed in the Questionnaire

Domain	Variables
Perceived challenges to teleradiologists	Communication with the technologist Communication with the referring physician Communication with other radiologists Access to prior exams Access to Electronic Health Record (EHR) system Credentialing Reimbursement Quality assurance Privacy or security Central PACS integration
Improving teleradiology services	Licensing and credentialing Teleradiology regulations across the country Technical standards Ease and rapid Communication with the referring physician Ease and rapid Communication with the technologist
Potential benefits of teleradiology	Geographic coverage After-hour coverage Multi-specialty coverage Turn-around time Coverage when understaffed

Figure 1 Description of study participants. (a) Distribution of participants according to years after finishing residency. (b) Distribution of participants according to the workplace. (c) Subspecialties of the participants.

Abbreviations: MOH, Ministry of Health; non-MOH govt, governmental institutions which are not part of MOH; Private, private hospitals.

Figure 2 Description of provided teleradiology services. (a) Percentage of teleradiology images interpreted by the participants out of their annual interpretation volume. (b) Types of teleradiology images interpreted by the participants. (c) Source of teleradiology images interpreted by the participants. (d) Coverage hours for teleradiology services by the participants.

Abbreviations: MRI, Magnetic Resonance Imaging; CT, Computed Tomography; U/S: Ultrasonography; PET, Position Emission Imaging.

Table 2 Percentage of Participants Who Indicated a Given Characteristic as Somewhat Challenging or Extremely Challenging

Challenge	Percentage of Participants
Lack of proximity to the technologist	35%
Lack of proximity to the referring physician	38%
Lack of proximity to other radiologists	21%
Accessing prior imaging exams	60%
Accessing the patient’s record in the Electronic Health Record (EHR)	69%
Achieving credentialing for interpreting off-site exams	25%
Receiving reimbursement for interpreting off-site exams	28%
Performing quality assurance of off-site exams	52%
Maintaining privacy and security of off-site exams	22%
Integrating the off-site exams into a practice’s central PACS	30%

Table 3 Percentage of Participants Who Indicated a Given Strategy Somewhat Useful or Extremely Useful

Strategy	Percentage of Participants
Standardization of licensing and credentialing	72%
Standardization of regulations across states	80%
Technical interpretation standards	68%
Ease of communication with referring physicians	72%
Ease of communication with technologists	76%
Rapid communication with referring physicians	74%
Rapid communication with technologists	76%

Table 4 Percentage of Participants Who Indicated Agree or Strongly Agree to the Stated Potential Benefits of Teleradiology

Statement	Percentage of Participants
Reading off-site exams helps my practice provide geographic coverage	79%
Reading off-site exams helps my practice provide after- hours coverage	70%
Reading off-site exams helps my practice provide multi-specialty coverage	70%
Reading off-site exams helps my practice reduce turn-around times for preliminary interpretations	62%
Reading off-site exams helps my practice reduce turn-around times for final interpretations	67%
Reading off-site exams helps my practice provide appropriate coverage when understaffed	78%