Well, in some areas, there is only one DR group and they have exclusive contract, so it would be hard for IR to survive without them. In other areas, there are multiple competiting rad groups and hospitals may have more leeway to give IR group priviledges and such without too much protest from DR geoup.
All I know is that DR has a history of losing exams and procedures to other specialities, even entire specialties like radonc. I have a hard time believing that history won't happen again.
Other than certain exceptions, I don't know about any hospital that is covered by multiple DR groups. Usually it is one DR group. Otherwise, it will be a disaster.
>>Anyhow, it is not about getting privilege. Let's say IR has DR privilege. Now what?
- Are they capable of covering the hospital for DR 7/24?
- Are they capable of doing high end imaging (which has become the day to day practice of community radiology) like Neuro MR, CT Neck, MSK MR, MRI abdomen, even CT abdomen and pelvis for several reasons, HRCT?
- Are they capable of running breast service which is almost a department by itself and important to many hospitals?
- Are they capable of meeting the turn-around time for ER and stat inpatient?
- How can an IR group consisting of 3-4 IR doctors with 3 years of DR training compete with a sub-specialized DR group?
All of these questions should be answered in the current environment which DR is becoming more sub-specialized, All DR graduates have two areas of sub-specialization and DR groups are becoming big groups consisting of all sub-specialties even including chest and cardiac Imagers which in many places are covering hospitals 24/7?
Honestly it is more likely than DR group takeaway all non-vasuclar procedures (by hiring body imagers or even one or two IR doctors) from IR group rather than IR group taking aways some DR work.
>> Turf loss by DR is exaggerated. The areas of turf loss after 1980s has been cardiac echo (completely) and OB US (partly). Radiology swallowed the entire field of Nucs but then lost 80% of cardiac Nucs. However, IR has lost most of its PAD turf to the point that new fellows have hard time even finding a place to be trained in PAD.
This negative view of DR is something that is rampant among a lot of IR physicians and that is fine. But separating from DR is not going to solve their problems. It will add to IR problems.
I have worked in different settings. This DR certificate for new IR graduates will be only useful in interpreting chest Xrays, some vascular US and very few modalities here and there. And even in these cases, I don't know how they can find DR work. Diagnostic imaging studies will not come to your computer from nowhere WHEN you want them. It is a 7/24 service. A 3 year of DR training in between IR training will not make you a neuroradiologist, body imager, MSK radiologist, mammographer or even chest radiologist.