Radiologists’ experiences and perceptions regarding the use of teleradiology in South Africa

BACKGROUND: Teleradiology was implemented in South Africa in 1999, but the subsequent uptake was low and slow. The onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic catapulted South African healthcare into the arena of teleradiology. This created the environment for re-examining the factors that enable or inhibit the uptake of teleradiology in both the public and private sectors. OBJECTIVES: This article reports on a study of a select sample of private and public sector radiologists’ experiences with, and perceptions of, the benefits, opportunities, challenges and barriers to the implementation of teleradiology in the South African context. METHOD: Qualitative data on the perceived benefits and challenges of teleradiology, as well as on its enablers and the barriers to its implementation, were collected and analysed. RESULTS: The uptake of teleradiology in the sample increased by 15.9% during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results demonstrated that teleradiology was perceived to have clear benefits on operational, personal and societal levels. CONCLUSION: It is important to address structural barriers to the implementation of teleradiology. Clear communication strategies and multistakeholder engagement are also required. CONTRIBUTION: By investigating radiologists’ experience with teleradiology, this study provides an understanding of the benefits, opportunities, challenges and barriers to implementation of services. These insights enable informed decision-making and stakeholder engagement and provide a foundation for establishing recommendations for the viable implementation of teleradiology in South Africa and other lower- and middle-income countries to promote access to healthcare.