Teleradiology: Staff shortages vs new regulations

The Presidium of the Supreme Medical Council adopted Position No. 85/25/P-IX of October 17, 2025 on the draft regulation of the Minister of Health amending the regulation on organizational standards of health care in the field of radiology and imaging diagnostics performed via teleinformatics systems.

The document indicates that the direction of the changes proposed by the health ministry is correct and will contribute to improving patient safety and the quality of teleradiology services.

"The Presidium of the Supreme Medical Council, after reviewing the draft (...) positively evaluates the direction of the proposed changes, recognizing that they serve to increase patient safety and raise the quality of radiology and diagnostic imaging services provided through ICT systems."

Solutions for increasing the presence of physicians at contrast examinations and providing access to a rapid response team were considered particularly beneficial.

"It is also fully justified to add point 3a in § 4 of the regulation, which will require that the radiological examination ... be conducted in the presence of a physician and with access of a rapid response team."

The Presidium of the NRL also supported the proposal to allow the doctor performing the service to decide when and how to complete the CT scan, as well as the obligation to ensure contact between the doctor performing and ordering the scan - provided that the contact is in real time.

Objections of the medical self-government

However, the post highlights several provisions that could cause organizational and legal problems. Among them, the obligation to have an information security management system that complies with ISO/IE 27001 is questionable.

"The introduction of this formalized requirement - through the associated financial and organizational costs - may result in a reduced market for services for smaller healthcare providers and individually practicing radiologists."

There are also reservations about the obligation to record telephone calls between the staff of providers and contracted teleradiology services. The local government points out that while such a solution could increase the quality of cooperation, it requires precise regulation of patient data security.

"The recordings from the recorder should therefore be part of the medical record, which is not regulated in the draft regulation."

Staff shortages vs. bans

The Supreme Medical Council raises the most objections to the provision prohibiting teleradiologists from simultaneously providing services to more than one entity for patients with certain urgency categories.

"In view of the insufficient number of radiologists, the entry into force of this provision may result in depriving many medical facilities with an ED or emergency room of access to a radiologist."

According to the Bureau, the provision is vague and can be interpreted in different ways, which will make it difficult to apply. The self-government also points out that the prohibition on cooperation with more than one entity should not cover all four categories of patient urgency (from red to green), since some of them do not require an immediate description of examinations.

"The urgency category marked in yellow means a waiting time of up to 60 minutes for the first contact with a doctor, and the green category means a waiting time (...) of up to 120 minutes, which does not justify imposing an absolute prohibition on a doctor providing teleradiology services to remain on standby to provide services to two entities."

Source: NIL