A radiologist at the heart of a scandal over unread scans in the Republic of Ireland had a workload far higher than the average radiologist, according to a 19 December report in the Irish Times.
The University Hospital Kerry is in the process of reviewing 46,000 x-rays, ultrasound exams, and CT scans after discovering that one of its locum radiologists delivered incorrect diagnoses. The radiologist has been connected to seven cases of misdiagnosis.
The new report by the Irish Times found the radiologist signed off on approximately 46,000 reports over 16 months. That total is equal to 150 scans per day or 36,000 scans per year. By comparison, the standard workload for a radiologist in Ireland is between 12,500 and 15,000 exams per year, the report added.
Meanwhile, an article in the Independent claims the radiologist in question had "made a series of complaints" about how the university's radiology department was run. The hospital has confirmed it received and investigated the complaints, according to the article.
