Observations on the Manpower Shortage in Radiology

The shortage of individuals to staff the Radiology Departments of the country reflects in part the general manpower shortage in medicine. Although the factor of “supply” is critical, the nature of the “demand” requires careful analysis. Overutilization of routine and special examinations may constitute a significant part of the demand. Overutilization may result from uninformed requests by referring physicians, response to patient “demand” for x-ray examinations, or malpractice considerations which may be remote from excellence in health care. Each of these factors must be dealt with if the demand for radiologic service is to be rationalized and related optimally to specific health needs.