With capacity to read more studies, Penn State Health Medical Group’s radiology division is seeking outside partnerships, recently inking a deal with another hospital network, officials announced Thursday.
The Hershey, Pennsylvania, organization is slated to provide interpretation support to the 13-hospital Allegheny Health Network’s Imaging Institute, situated in the Pittsburgh area about 200 miles west. AHN has experienced “significant” growth in patient volumes, with leaders actively seeking solutions to address growing imaging demand.
At the same time, Penn State radiology had been scouring for ways to broaden the reach of its physicians.
“Our team of talented, qualified radiologists had capacity to assist other programs outside of our existing book of work, and we are excited to collaborate with AHN in this manner,” Mark Labuski, MD, radiology service line medical director for Penn State Health, said in an announcement.
Jeffrey Mueller, MD, the Imaging Institute’s system vice chair, said the number of remote readers will vary based on demand. He expects it to fall between one to three rads each day but will likely increase as AHN opens additional imaging centers. Along with flexibility gained through the partnership, he also touted their access to a range of imaging subspecialists, spanning neurology, breast care, interventional radiology and nuclear medicine.
“For me, that’s great peace of mind,” Mueller said in the announcement. “We are totally aligned in our values, and mission to provide efficient, high-quality care for patients,” he added.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.