COVID-19 hit radiology hard, but a rebound appears to be underway

Medical imaging volume was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, as the old adage says, this too shall pass. But when? And what should practices being doing to prepare for the return?

Specialists from vRad, a MEDNAX company, addressed this very subject on a recent webinar of nearly 400 radiologists and administrators, assessing the current situation and looking ahead to a time when the world may finally be able to put COVID-19 in the rear-view mirror.

The event opened with highlights of the impact COVID-19 has had on imaging volumes throughout the United States. Inpatient and emergency room imaging plummeted by approximately 40%, for instance, with outpatient imaging taking a hit closer to 70%. Daytime imaging was impacted hardest due to prevalence of elective procedures being performed─vRad’s data illustrated a daytime impact nearly 15% worse than nighttime imaging at the lows of the demand pullback.