Hospital sends x-rays to Beirut

X-rays from New Zealand patients are being sent to doctors in Beirut for diagnosis.

The Hawkes Bay District Health Board is trying the scheme for six months to beat the shortage of radiologists.

But the Medical Council has expressed concerns about using radiologists who are not registered in New Zealand.

The board announced the trial a fortnight ago, saying it involved radiologists in Australia, Britain and the United States, who would reply within an hour of receiving the emailed images.

But board spokeswoman Karalyn van Deursen said last night that the computerised x-rays, MRI and CT scans went only to Northern Hemisphere countries, where they were read by dayshift doctors. She was travelling and could not recall the full list, but said it included the United States, the Lebanese capital and possibly India.

Staff at Hawkes Bay Hospital were given a nightly roster stating which Northern Hemisphere radiologists were on call.

Hospitals in Lebanon have been under extreme pressure since war broke out in July between Hizbollah and Israel.

The board started using the overseas service because the worldwide shortage of radiologists meant it was impossible to have Hawkes Bay Hospital images read at other New Zealand public hospitals.

It said the scheme was "cost-neutral" and its own radiologists were prepared to reduce staff levels by one to pay for the service, which was used only after-hours. Hawkes Bay Hospital radiologists reread all the images the next morning.

Ms van Deursen said the overseas radiologists were all registered with a US authority. "We've reviewed their CVs here. They have been approved by the DHB's internal credentialling committee and our HR department have independently checked the US database to check they are registered ... "

But Medical Council chairman Dr John Campbell said: "Our preferred position is the person is registered in New Zealand. If not registered in New Zealand, the responsibility falls solely on to the doctor who is involved with that patient and making decisions on diagnosis and treatment."

Patients should be told of the arrangement if possible, although this would not be feasible if, for instance, they were road crash victims.

"If there are problems and the patient has a complaint, there is no avenue for that person other than through the DHB."

The council's preference for New Zealand registration was irrespective of the country radiologists were working in, Dr Campbell said. If they had British or Australian postgraduate qualifications in radiology, then becoming registered in New Zealand would be straightforward.

Despite the council's concerns, he acknowledged that the scheme had advantages and said other hospitals were likely to do something similar.