UPMC, the largest hospital system in Pennsylvania, is facing significant challenges due to a nationwide shortage of radiologists, resulting in prolonged wait times for patients to receive diagnostic results, with some reporting delays of over 30 days. To address the high demand for radiology services, UPMC is hiring additional radiologists and partnering with external providers to reduce wait times. This shortage is attributed to factors like an aging population, burnout, and a limited training pipeline, with projections indicating a potential deficit of up to 42,000 radiologists by 2033. In contrast, WellSpan Health has improved its imaging capacity through the use of artificial intelligence, allowing for quicker turnaround times for radiology results, averaging about 10 hours for routine cases. Additionally, changes to H-1B visa fees by the Trump administration have affected hospital recruitment efforts, though some hospitals, like Penn State Health, report no direct impact on their radiology services.
Mon, 02 Feb 2026 10:05:00 GMT | PennLive.com