Brokerage mechanism proposal for teleradiology studies distribution

Abstract

The asymmetric distribution of PACS equipment and service providers across countries leads typically to the need to hire third party service professionals outside the institutions where the exams were made. In this paper we present a brokerage mechanism that puts customers and remote providers together in a seamless way.The proposed solution, asserted with a case study for the Portuguese national health system, addresses the problems that now impair the optimal provision of those services, enabling a more agile relationship between buyers and sellers, optimizing administrative work and complying with clinical and legal requirements under discussion in the European Union for the free movement of patients and professional health workers.In this document, the detailed process and technical description of the broker functioning is made, and the main benefits for the participants are also evaluated from a technical and economical point of view.Finally, in the discussion chapter, an assessment of the creation of a spot market for imaging studies is made and the integration with other similar markets is discussed.