It is clear that Radiologists are under tremendous pressure and that they need solutions and tools that go beyond data and analysis. But how can healthcare systems and providers evaluate the effectiveness of the many AI vendors and platforms entering the market? Here’s a sample of key topics and questions that we see as critical to ask:

• Clinical Needs – Ask whether their application solves a meaningful clinical problem; more than a neat AI way that is merely analysis; does it provide meaningful insight? Go deeper: ask about the source of truth for the test set, demographic and platform diversity, etc. A ‘brittle’ AI solution looks good in the lab but struggles in the real-world with wide demographics and changing hardware.
• Integration – Radiologists need technology that provides answers while seamlessly integrating into the current workflow, PACS systems, medical imaging hardware, and healthcare clouds. Speak to the vendor about this integration, how seamless are the results, and how many steps are required to get an answer?
• Trust & Accountability – To ensure you are choosing a proven and trusted partner, ask about whether they have the service infrastructure to support you and if there is an upgrade path. Is the solution standalone or part of an ecosystem that solves the totality of the workflow, not just a piece of it?
• Standards & Approvals – What kind of standards are backing up the company as a whole? The solution you are investing in is only as strong as the company standing behind it. Ask if there is an FDA approval and what class of medical device is it? Is it IEC62304 and IEC62366 medical device quality management passed? Is it ISO 27001 Information Management Security System Certified? Does this company have a plan to protect against a cyberattack?

Artificial intelligence is here to stay and partnering with the right AI platform vendor who can deliver actionable knowledge will help Radiologists make timely and confident decisions. To get the answers – and not just analysis – it is important to ask the right questions upfront.