Online Radiology adds echo, fMRI to telerad services

During the 94th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) last week, Online Radiology Medical Group showcased new teleradiology services, including remote reading for echocardiogram results and functional MRI (fMRI) consulting and reading services.

Jesse Salen, vice president of sales and technology at Online, said that the company expanded its service offering to become a “more complete telemedicine partner for its customers by bringing technology and expertise to medical facilities that could not previously have access to such services due to geographic, staffing and technical limitations.”

He said that echocardiogram reads are typically performed by a cardiologist and is not a typical service offered by teleradiology companies. To be adequately prepared for this, the company added a reading panel of cardiologists to its Joint Commission-accredited staff, as well as the necessary technologies to its computer systems to make the new service offering possible, he noted.

Online Radiology added fMRI service offering in conjunction with Columbia Medical School’s Program for Imaging and Cognitive Sciences fMRI research center in New York City. Salen said that the company can now assist facilities across the United States with fMRI reads and consultations. fMRI studies will be processed in a research lab, interpreted by trained neuroradiologists and the processed study will be returned with a dictated report necessary for pre-surgical planning to the customer.

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