In late November, some 50,000 representatives from the medical imaging industry will once again gather at McCormick Place in Chicago for RSNA 2018. Vendors will share their latest and greatest solutions, attendees will take part in fascinating sessions and the convention center will burst with enthusiasm, energy and excitement.
To gain a better understanding of what attendees at RSNA 2018 are the most excited about, Paragon Consulting Partners surveyed more than 3,500 imaging professionals who plan on experiencing the show firsthand. According to the company’s report on that survey, these are three things attendees will be focused on during RSNA’s annual meeting:
1. The sessions
More than 33 percent of respondents said their top reason for attending RSNA was to go to sessions and obtain CME credits, making it the most popular answer. Visiting the technical exhibits (31.4 percent) and networking (20.93 percent) followed.
“Continuing education and visiting the technical exhibit were in close contention for the top reason for most respondents attending RSNA this year, once again demonstrating the show as a destination for scientific and technological education, advancement, and procurement,” according to the report.
2. Shopping for updated imaging equipment and shifting toward subspecialty practice
Thirty percent of respondents said they plan on “actively shopping for new modalities,” especially MRI and ultrasound equipment. In addition, the report added, 30 percent plan on attending sessions specifically focused on innovation, dose management and workflow optimization.
“Driven by shifting reimbursements and growing consumer demand for specialized care services, this trend highlights the increased focus on subspecialty practice, and subsequently image acquisition workflow,” according to the report. “Consequently, healthcare organizations are seeking to leverage new technologies to enable more accurate diagnosis, improve clinical outcomes, and derive increased value from their imaging service lines.”
3. Shopping for business intelligence (BI) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies
While 21 percent of respondents are actively shopping for BI technologies, 20 percent are shopping for solutions related to AI. The reasons professionals are so focused on these two areas, according to the report, is that they can improve workflow, increase patient throughput, improve accuracy and help providers gain insight into their overall performance.
Enterprise imaging systems and PACS replacement, on the other hand, are way down on the list of what attendees are shopping for this year. This is surprising, according to the report, but likely related to the fact that many leaders are focused on optimizing existing systems instead of starting all over with a replacement.
RSNA 2018 is Nov. 25-30, 2018. Stay tuned to Radiology Business for exclusive coverage of the entire meeting.
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.