Why Virtual Supervision?
Virtual contrast supervision offers many exciting advantages, including cost savings, improved access to care, enhanced patient safety, simplified scheduling, decreased administrative burdens, and so much more. Continue reading to learn more about ContrastConnect and the future of contrast coverage!
01
Streamlined Operations
Imaging companies employing a 1099 workforce for contrast coverage routinely deal with time-consuming onboarding. Requirements typically include training modules, collecting credentials and documentation, 1099 agreement signatures, payroll registration, scheduling monthly coverage at multiple facilities, timesheet verification, addressing late or absent coverage, offboarding staff when needed, and other compliance needs. These administrative and HR challenges consume valuable time and resources for even the most savvy HR departments. In contrast, leveraging a purpose-built provider like ContrastConnect for contrast supervision can streamline and simplify operations for imaging centers. ContrastConnect serves as an all-in-one solution, eliminating the HR challenges and administrative burdens associated with employing a 1099 workforce; and in-turn, the valuable time, money, and resources spent on those tasks.
02
Coverage & Safety
Due to the low incidence of contrast reactions, it is challenging for in-person contrast coverage personnel to become adept at handling a wide range of contrast reactions. This matter is further complicated by the fact that coverage is typically provided by a diverse cohort of providers with varying degrees of prior experience. ContrastConnect overcomes these shortcomings with a purpose-built approach. Our team of experienced radiologists (MDs and DOs) are well-versed in the ACR's standardized contrast reaction algorithms, ensuring the highest standard of care and quality assurance for every contrast reaction. Additionally, each of our physicians supervises multiple facilities every day, increasing their likelihood of encountering contrast reactions and accumulating invaluable experience compared to in-person supervision. Moreover, ContrastConnect uses a redundant system that guarantees the presence of multiple clinicians at all times throughout the day. In rare instances where a patient’s condition quickly deteriorates before emergency medical services arrive, the ability for multiple clinicians to collaborate in real-time becomes a significant advantage over traditional in-person coverage.
03
Cut Costs & Drive Revenue
In a world focused on efficiency and optimization, the need for providers to commute to imaging centers solely to provide on-site coverage leads to costly and inefficient resource utilization. Additionally, overtime pay for on-site providers who stay late to accommodate last-minute add-ons or delays, further worsens the cost-inefficiency of in-person coverage. Virtual contrast supervision, on the other hand, offers improved cost-efficiency, resource utilization, and no overtime pay. Using reliable telehealth technologies, ContrastConnect is able to safely provide coverage across multiple sites using fewer resources, resulting in substantial savings. Furthermore, without the possibility of late or no-show in-person coverage, technologists can promptly proceed with contrast-enhanced exams as soon as the patient arrives and the scanner becomes available, ensuring consistent and predictable scan times and revenue. Finally, with ContrastConnect's virtual contrast supervision, imaging centers can now easily schedule contrast-enhanced exams across all of their facilities, including sites that previously struggled to secure reliable in-person coverage. This new capability presents an exciting opportunity for these sites to open up their schedules and increase revenue.
04
Expanded Scheduling
Demand for diagnostic imaging services has been steadily rising and is expected to continue to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.7% through 2026 [1]. This unwavering demand has made it increasingly difficult for patients to schedule their imaging studies as imaging centers face growing patient backlogs. Using virtual contrast supervision by ContrastConnect, imaging centers have the added flexibility of starting contrast-enhanced exams earlier in the morning and scanning later into the evening, including weekends, and holidays. In-person coverage personnel is no longer the rate-limiting step to scheduling contrast-enhanced exams. Furthermore, imaging centers that routinely struggled to fill in-person contrast coverage shifts can now reliably schedule contrast-enhanced exams, knowing they’re covered round-the-clock. 1. https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/diagnostic-imaging-market-411.html
05
Reduced Distractions for Radiologists
Many imaging companies don't have a dedicated 1099 workforce for contrast supervision. Some require their radiologists to rotate across different imaging sites to provide on-site contrast coverage while dictating studies in-house. However, this is a largely unpopular practice that leads to decreased job satisfaction and higher burnout rates among radiologists [1]. In general, radiologists prefer to work from the comfort of their home [1], far from the distractions of the office. And if a radiologist is not commuting to and from work, at least some of that time can be used to interpret images and increase productivity [1]. By outsourcing contrast coverage to ContrastConnect, you can help boost employee morale, more easily attract new talent with remote-only positions, and improve job satisfaction in a specialty with increasing burnout rates [2]. We handle time-consuming tasks like contrast reactions and patient follow-ups, freeing up radiologists to focus on reading and driving revenue. So for companies that require radiologists to commute on-site solely to cover contrast exams, now you can enable your team to work from home with some weight off their shoulders! 1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9791330/ 2. https://www.medscape.com/slideshow/2023-lifestyle-burnout-6016058#1
06
Continuity of Care
At ContrastConnect, we prioritize patient care and satisfaction above all else. To underscore our commitment to providing the highest level of patient care, every patient receives a comprehensive “discharge summary” detailing their specific reaction, care instructions, and information about warning signs or symptoms that require immediate attention or an ER visit. Additionally, patients enjoy around-the-clock access to our on-call physicians, ensuring complete support and peace of mind.
07
Platform & Compliance
The ContrastConnect platform is the first purpose-built solution designed to leverage telehealth technologies for the purposes of remote contrast supervision. Every potential pitfall from system downtime, to missed notifications, to multiple simultaneous reactions has been thought of and accounted for. The resulting system is robust, and layered with failsafes and redundancies, ensuring swift and efficient handling of contrast reactions without fail. Moreover, ContrastConnect is fully compliant with all CMS requirements - whereby supervising physicians must be virtually present throughout the performance of Level 2 tests using contrast media via real-time audio/video communication (excluding audio-only)[1,2]. Finally, through our telehealth partner, we’re able to deliver end-to-end encryption, SOC2 certification, HIPAA, and HITECH compliance to all imaging clients. 1.https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/04/06/2020-06990/medicare-and-medicaid-programs-policy-and-regulatory-revisions-in-response-to-the-covid-19-public#p-260 2. https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-23873/p-561