<2>Relentless rises in radiology workloads cannot be solved by the radiology department alone
<3>The Radiology Workload Conundrum: A Lesson from the Past
<4>It is intriguing to note that the radiology department’s struggles with unsustainable workloads are not a new phenomenon. In fact, as early as 1978, a radiologist from Kings Lynn, MJ Brindle, highlighted the issue in a Talking Point published in The BMJ.1 At that time, Brindle identified two possible approaches to addressing the relentless rises in radiology workload, both of which remain relevant today.
<5>The first approach, which Brindle termed the “reflex approach,” involves attempting to keep up with demand by increasing capacity. This can be achieved by purchasing more machines and training more staff. However, as Brindle noted in 1978, this approach was not effective then, and it is not working now.
WHO statistics suggest that the global demand for radiology services is increasing at an alarming rate, driven by factors such as an aging population and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases.
<6>Another approach, which Brindle advocated for in