Hawaii hospitals are reporting a backlog of thousands of images needing to be interpreted by radiologists, Hawaii News Now reported April 18.
The state is estimated to have a shortage of 10 radiologists in 2024. The shortage has led to thousands of CT scans, PET scans, MRIs and other critical tests to be waiting in queues. Honolulu-based The Queen’s Medical Center notified its staff that it has 8,000 images pending review as of last week.
“We are seeing high volumes of diagnostic imaging requests which tends to be some of the sickest patients in our community,” Darlena Chadwick, Queen’s Health Systems chief operating officer, told the news outlet. “The care of our patients is our highest priority and we are working diligently every day to address any delays.”
Currently, radiologists are prioritizing emergency cases and those patients with upcoming appointments or surgeries. To help reduce the queue and shortage, the system is actively recruiting radiologists and hiring temporary ones to fill gaps, Ms. Chadwick said.
The state is also facing a shortage of 111 radiology technicians.
“Whether it’s a primary care physician and internist or a surgeon, if they cannot get the results back or there’s a delay in getting the results then you can’t schedule the surgery or the treatment,” Hilton Raethel, president of the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, told the news outlet. “Unfortunately, it is a very tough situation that we’re in.”
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