Problems with the Technology
Higher Capital and Running Costs
The capital costs of the new technologies are about four to five times that of the old. For example, switching from teleradiology to computerised radiology equipment is a jump from about $20,000 to $100,000 in capital costs. The running costs of computerised radiology equipment are also higher than teleradiology equipment. Furthermore, the computer-based systems need hardware to be renewed approximately every three years. This is much sooner than most of the other capital equipment used by the practice.
Staff costs have increased with the new technologies. File clerks have been done away with, but IT support staff have become more important. Also, more staff are now employed overall than before the technology was implemented.
Transfer of Information to Medical Practitioners
GPs' access to information is inhibited by the HealthLink transfer. Despite the fact that Wakefield Radiology is capable of real time exchange of reports and images with other medical practitioners, especially referrers such as General Practitioners (GPs), the capabilities of the HealthLink network via which GPs are linked lacks the capability. HealthLink must reduce all data transmitted via this network to wordpad form, so images are lost. Furthermore, timing issues surrounding when data is transferred mean that real time transfer is infeasible. Thus, patients and GPs are missing out on the benefits of more timely information exchange. Trevor attributes the relatively poor capabilities of the HealthLink network to the lack of priority that GPs give to this communication method amongst the range of other issues they must address. Prioritisation of other initiatives results in a lack of investment capital available to GP practices to commit to enhancing the infrastructure. This is placing limits on the extent to which Wakefield Radiology can share the benefits of increased speed with patients. However Wakefield Radiology is unable to address this issue by itself. Communication priorities need to be addressed in relation to the entire medical sector in New Zealand. Whilst general practitioners must priorities other aspects of their practice to meet other priorities (e.g. structural requirements to qualify for new PHO primary health service funding) issues such as communication infrastructure take a lower priority. Increased communications speed delivers real benefits to patients in terms of decreasing time lost with reduced treatment delays and information accuracy. With higher priorities for communication Trevor sees Wakefield Radiology services can provide immediate real benefits over the status quo.
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