Philippine startup takes on global radiologist shortage
08-Nov-14, Forbes
Many developing countries don’t have enough doctors to meet their citizens’ healthcare needs. Radiologists are particularly hard to find in many places, but Lifetrack Medical Systems, a digital healthcare startup based in the Philippines, wants to improve the situation with innovative software and services.
Radiologists play an important role in medical systems everywhere. As specialists in the use of imaging techniques to see inside patients’ bodies, they support physicians in a wide range of specialties, from orthopedics to obstetrics. Their work is crucial for diagnosing and treating diseases of many kinds, so their absence can produce deadly bottlenecks in medical workflow.
Demographic trends in developing countries will likely exacerbate the radiology talent gap in the coming years. As economic growth improves living conditions in these countries, people everywhere are enjoying longer, healthier lives. That’s a good thing, but it also means people will live long enough to develop cancer, osteoporosis, cardiac issues, and other conditions that require radiology for diagnosis and treatment.