What does a teleradiologist do?
The short answer
A teleradiologist interprets CT, MRI, ultrasound and X-ray studies sent electronically from hospitals and imaging centers, writes the report, and calls urgent findings to the care team. They usually cover the hours a hospital’s own radiologists don’t, such as nights, evenings and weekends, or add capacity during the day.
- MD or DOa physician, board certified in radiology
- Licensedin the state where the patient is
- Privilegedat each hospital they read for
Is a teleradiologist a real doctor?
Yes. A teleradiologist is a physician (MD or DO) who completed medical school, a radiology residency and, usually, a fellowship and board certification. Teleradiology is a way of practicing radiology, not a separate profession. The American College of Radiology publishes guidance for teleradiology as part of radiology practice.
Teleradiologist vs on-site radiologist
| On-site radiologist | Teleradiologist | |
|---|---|---|
| Training | Medical school, radiology residency, often fellowship | The same |
| Licensing | License in the hospital’s state | License in each state where patients are |
| Privileges | At the hospitals where they work | At every hospital they read for |
| Where they read | In the hospital’s reading room | From a secure remote workstation |
| Typical hours | Weekday days, plus call | Nights, evenings, weekends, overflow or 24/7 |
| Contact with the care team | In person and by phone | By phone, with calls documented |
How does a teleradiologist work with your hospital?
- 01
Credentialed first
Before reading a single study, the radiologist is licensed in your state and approved by your medical staff office. See our credentialing guide.
- 02
Reads your list
Orders and images arrive electronically, and the radiologist reads them in order of urgency, strokes first.
- 03
Calls what matters
Critical findings are called to your ED or the responsible caregiver, read back and logged. TeleRads calls within 15 minutes.
- 04
Signs in your format
Reports are signed finals in your templates, returned into your system.
- 05
Hands off
At the end of the shift, your day group gets a short note on what was read and called.
What radiologists should know about teleradiology work
- Licensing is the long pole. Each state needs a license; the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact can speed that up.
- Privileges at each hospital take time, so a group that builds the files for you matters.
- Schedules vary: overnight, evening, weekend and daytime shifts are all common.
- Workstation and connectivity should be provided and supported, so you read rather than troubleshoot.
- Pay models differ: per shift, per study and per wRVU are all used in the market.
- Case mix matters: ED-heavy nights are mostly CT; daytime overflow is often outpatient.
Radiologists interested in reading with us can see teleradiology jobs at TeleRads.
Questions
What is a teleradiologist?
A radiologist, a physician trained to interpret medical images, who reads studies remotely for hospitals and imaging centers instead of on site.
Do teleradiologists need a license in every state?
They need a license in each state where the patients they read for are located, plus privileges at each hospital. The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact offers an expedited path to additional licenses for eligible physicians.
Are teleradiologists board certified?
Teleradiologists complete the same training as other radiologists and are typically board certified in radiology. TeleRads radiologists are board certified.
What hours do teleradiologists work?
Commonly nights, evenings and weekends, plus daytime overflow or full 24/7 coverage, depending on what the hospital needs.
How do teleradiologists communicate critical findings?
By calling the ordering provider or responsible caregiver directly, with a read-back, and documenting the name, role and time in the report.