Image-guided therapy is revolutionizing healthcare through improved patient experiences, better clinical outcomes and greater staff efficiency – all while yielding higher returns on investment. The global IGT market is expected to grow from $5.42 billion in 2022 to $8.9 billion by 2023, driven by widespread adoption of cutting-edge imaging technologies.
Where having IGT equipment such as MRIs, CT, fluoroscopy, and 3D imaging systems was once a selling point that attracted patients, it’s now expected, ingrained and necessary. IGT is central to everything many hospital departments do.
Though IGT is an expected and necessary part of modern treatment, hospital administrators still face challenges in justifying, funding and efficiently utilizing IGT equipment. This series offers an overview of IGT in modern hospitals and reveals how hospital administrators can overcome common IGT challenges.
IGT in Modern Hospitals
Image-guided therapy offers four distinct benefits for modern medicine.
1. Better medical outcomes
IGT enables caregivers to deliver more precise, less invasive care. For example, a surgeon can obtain a 3D image of a tumor and remove it with minimal damage to healthy tissue.
Greater precision means:
- Fewer repeat procedures and readmittances
- Shorter hospital stays
- Faster recovery times
- Reduced risks of complications
Moreover, in some cases, caregivers can perform multiple procedures during the same surgery, reducing total interventional time and getting patients back to their normal routines faster than if they needed to schedule two (or more) separate operations.
2. Improved patient experience
Accurate, less invasive procedures create a better patient experience via:
- Reduced trauma
- Minimal incisions and scarring
- Quicker recovery times
- More same-day discharges
- Improved safety and comfort
IGT also lends patient confidence, since they know their caregivers can “see” internal structures and help them make sound medical decisions. Moreover, image-guided therapy creates pathways to new, cutting-edge therapies that previously weren’t available.
IGT also improves patient safety and comfort. Special patient interface products such as table pads, straps and arm boards prevent slips, falls and pressure injuries while keeping patients stationary during extended procedures.
3. Increased efficiency and staff productivity
Image-guided therapy also bolsters operational efficiency and staff productivity. With IGT:
- Hospital staff can quickly convert a hybrid OR or imaging suite from one procedure to another
- Thoughtfully designed IGT attachments and accessories make it easy to quickly and safely position patients
- Hospitals can significantly reduce procedural time and lab time, allowing them to serve more patients
4. Greater ROI
Though patient care is paramount, it’s no secret that hospitals must be mindful of budgets – and return on investment (ROI) is a critical measure of success. With IGT:
- Hospitals can accommodate more patients and conduct more procedures in less time
- Earn trust and better reputations that influence where patients go for treatment
- Improve overall efficiency by maximizing use of space
These attributes help hospitals increase return on investment, so that image-guided therapy isn’t just expected and necessary, but a significant revenue driver for the medical industry.
On the horizon
Image-guided therapy continues to evolve, and many hospital administrators strive to keep up with emerging technologies. On the very-near horizon, many hospitals will boast IGT equipment that employs:
- Artificial intelligence (AI) that helps caregivers analyze complex data and make the best patient care decisions
- Augmented reality (AR) that takes IGT beyond 2D images with 3D (and even 4D) imaging, enabling caregivers to see and treat internal structures with immense precision yet minimal invasiveness
Such advancements are certainly exciting, but they also require investment in technology, training and space – all can prove challenging for hospital administrators.
Next steps
Discover hospital administrator challenges and solutions for meeting IGT demand in Part 2 of this series.
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