Latest news with #radiology
CTV News
5 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
CGMH keeps health care closer to home with its 1st MRI machine
Collingwood General and Marine Hospital celebrates the arrival of its first MRI machine. Collingwood General and Marine Hospital celebrates the arrival of its first MRI machine. Collingwood General and Marine Hospital (CGMH) is now home to cutting-edge technology that will help keep health care closer to home with the arrival of its first Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine. A new 2,000-square-foot suite, which will house the MRI machine, is currently under construction on the hospital's lower level. "This project represents an investment in both CGMH's present and future – helping to meet urgent needs today while preparing for a new hospital with expanded diagnostic imaging tomorrow," CGMH stated in a news release. In the coming weeks, installation, testing and commissioning will get underway, and a team of MRI technologists and radiology professionals will work to ensure the machine is in peak performance condition. It's estimated more than 11,000 residents leave the area each year for MRI scans, and this addition means that travel time ends. "It will enhance the patient experience, support better outcomes, and ensure that our community receives the high-quality care it needs - right here at home," noted Michael Lacroix, CGMH president and CEO. The MRI is set to be operational this fall.
Forbes
6 days ago
- Health
- Forbes
Radiology's Reckoning: How AI, Private Equity, And Prenovo Scans Are Unraveling It
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - 2025/05/01: Sign at the entrance to the Prenuvo Clinic in ... More Manhattan. (Photo by Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images) For decades, radiology was the dream. One of the coveted R.O.A.D. specialties—Radiology, Ophthalmology, Anesthesiology, and Dermatology—it offered physicians a rare trifecta: high salaries, low burnout, and flexible hours. It was medicine's white-collar sweet spot—intellectually stimulating, well-compensated, and mostly removed from the emotional weight of patient-facing care. Three tectonic forces—AI in radiology, private equity consolidation of radiology groups, and a booming sector of direct-to-consumer wellness imaging—are reshaping radiology into a flagging, fractured profession. The fallout? An ever-widening divide between elite specialists and commoditized labor, with little room for middle-ground. From Reader to Validator: The Shrinking Scope of Expertise AI isn't augmenting radiologists. It's replacing them—at least in part. Tools from companies like Aidoc, Gleamer, DeepLook and now pre-read routine scans, flag abnormalities, and auto-generate structured reports. Increasingly, junior radiologists start their shifts not with raw cases but with AI-generated 'findings' they're expected to review and sign off on. This evolution from "physician" to "validator" marks a critical shift. Human expertise is now backloaded—doctors step in after the AI has taken the first swing. It's a subtle but systemic de-skilling of the profession, part of a broader trend in knowledge work where algorithms dictate pace, volume, and standards. Teleradiology's Uberization: No Benefits, No Protections Nowhere is this shift more visible than in teleradiology. Many U.S.-based radiologists working remotely are classified as 1099 contractors—paid per scan, with no health insurance, no retirement plan, and no paid leave. And as AI eats away at routine reads, their bargaining power continues to shrink. 'Radiologists used to be seen as doctors,' one physician told me. 'Now, many are treated like Uber drivers for diagnostics—paid by the case, with zero security.' These doctors are still responsible for interpreting complex studies, identifying critical findings, and ensuring patient safety. Yet they often operate outside the very healthcare protections they help uphold. Private Equity's Rollup Strategy Is Faltering Between 2013 and 2023, private equity firms acquired more than 150 radiology practices, representing over 3,400 imaging locations—roughly 16% of U.S. sites. By 2023, 12% of American radiologists worked for PE-backed groups, with saturation as high as 46% in states like Nevada. But cracks are appearing. Deal flow slowed dramatically in 2023 and 2024, due to rising interest rates, post-COVID imaging declines, and reimbursement pressure. Radiology Partners, the largest PE-backed platform, raised $720 million in 2024 to manage mounting debt. Attrition rates in some PE-owned practices are hitting 30–40%, according to Bridging the Gap—But Only Partially Globally, there is a well-documented shortage of radiologists, with some hospitals facing days-long backlogs for non-emergency scans. In certain regions and emergency departments, the ability to get an immediate read can mean the difference between life and death. In these high-pressure contexts, AI tools that can quickly pre-screen and flag critical findings may serve a valuable role in accelerating decision-making for trauma cases, strokes, or internal bleeding—where time-sensitive diagnostics are essential. That said, while AI may help close some access gaps, especially in underserved or high-volume settings, it cannot fully replace the interpretive skill, legal accountability, and contextual nuance that trained radiologists provide. Nor does it address the structural drivers behind the shortage—such as workforce burnout, declining reimbursement, and the growing reliance on contractor labor. AI in Radiology as Arbitrage, Not Advancement In these environments, AI isn't deployed for diagnostic precision—it's used to standardize workflows, increase volume, and cut labor costs. Instead of freeing radiologists to do more complex work, it places them under closer digital surveillance. Rather than clinical uplift, AI becomes financial arbitrage. A Two-Tier Profession: Specialists Protected, Generalists Squeezed Not all radiologists are impacted equally. Subspecialists in interventional, neuro, musculoskeletal, and cardiac imaging still command high pay and institutional leverage. But generalists—who interpret routine X-rays, CTs, and ultrasounds—are increasingly commoditized. Estimated 2024 U.S. Radiologist Compensation by Role: Estimated 2024 U.S. Radiology Compensation by Role This bifurcation is directly tied to earlier themes: PE-owned practices increasingly prioritize high-throughput general reads, often handled by teleradiology contractors or AI tools, while reserving higher-margin procedures for a smaller cohort of in-house specialists. The result is a two-tier system reinforced by both capital incentives and automation. The more replaceable the scan, the more vulnerable the reader. Radiology Demand Outpaces the Human Supply The U.S. has around 39,000 active radiologists (ACR, Neiman HPI), growing by only about 1.5% per year—roughly adding 600 physicians annually—based on residency program capacity (AMA, ACR). Meanwhile, imaging volumes continue increasing at 3–4% annually, driven by aging demographics, chronic disease prevalence, and expanded screening guidelines (Medicus Healthcare Solutions). What does that look like over five years? That means demand will grow twice as fast as the workforce, leading to backlogs—emergency departments already report wait times of several hours for key scans—and regional density varies dramatically (as low as 9 radiologists per 100,000 in some areas) (ACR Workforce Survey). And the scan landscape is becoming more complex. Women with dense breasts now require 3D mammography, supplemental ultrasound, and MRI (ACR Breast Imaging Guidelines), and emerging options like contrast-enhanced mammography and molecular breast imaging (MBI) further multiply the reading load. Even a growing reliance on AI or gig labor won't increase the total number of trained clinicians—the problem isn't just efficiency, it's capacity. A Global Perspective of Radiology: Different System, Different Stakes While U.S. radiologists grapple with contractor models, PE consolidation, and unchecked AI adoption, other health systems are taking a more cautious or coordinated approach. In the U.K., the NHS has invested in radiology AI pilots but maintains central oversight, ensuring that AI augments—not replaces—clinical judgment. The Royal College of Radiologists has emphasized that AI should relieve workforce shortages, not deskill practitioners. Radiologists remain salaried employees with pensions and protections. Radiology doesn't have to become a gig economy casualty. Policy, public funding, and infrastructure design matter. The Longevity Mirage: $2,500 Wellness Scans For The 1% As clinical radiology comes under pressure, consumer-facing imaging startups have raised over $400 million to offer full-body MRI scans to affluent customers. These services operate outside traditional clinical channels—unregulated, cash-pay, and sold as luxury longevity products. Prenuvo raised $70 million in 2022 and another $120 million in 2025 to expand its full-body and body-composition scans, priced between $2,499 and $4,499. Ezra raised $44 million before its distressed sale to Function Health in May 2025. Neko Health, founded by Spotify's Daniel Ek, is now valued at nearly $2 billion. Clinical bodies remain unconvinced. The American College of Radiology warns that full-body MRI lacks evidence of cost-effectiveness or life-prolonging benefit, and that false positives and incidental findings can lead to unnecessary follow-ups. Even Prenuvo's own data shows a 2.2% cancer detection rate—consistent with population-wide screening programs like mammography—but with limited clarity on downstream impact. The real question isn't how many cancers are found, but whether early detection through full-body scans leads to better outcomes. Without long-term data, it's unclear if these findings result in life-saving interventions or lead to extra tests, anxiety, or even unnecessary treatment. Ezra's Fall: From Hype to Exit Ezra's sale in May 2025 was telling. Plagued by high burn rates and tepid consumer demand, it was acquired by Function Health under undisclosed terms. The new offering—an 'Ezra-powered' 22-minute MRI for $499/year—marks a steep discount from Ezra's earlier standalone pricing, which peaked at $6,000 per session. The deal signals that as a standalone DTC imaging brand, Ezra was unsustainable. Integrated into a broader wellness membership model, it might endure—but with a radically different financial profile. The Final Insult: Infrastructure Without Respect Behind slick UX and celebrity endorsements, these startups still require radiologists to interpret scans, flag potential cancers, and provide legal sign-off. Yet many treat them not as partners, but as infrastructure. 'In some of these startups, senior software engineers make more than the radiologists reading the cancer screens,' one Prenuvo-affiliated radiologist told me. 'We're treated as regulatory obligations, not clinical equals.' Many are hired as per-case contractors. Prenuvo and Ezra have both listed radiologist roles as remote, 1099-based, with variable pay and no guaranteed volume. The Ezra careers page as of late 2023 offered compensation 'based on image complexity' with no benefits. That structure gives startups operational flexibility—at the expense of the very physicians they rely on. A Crossroads With No Middle Ground Radiology's reckoning isn't about robots replacing doctors. It's about a system that algorithmically undervalues expertise while capitalizing on its necessity. As AI scales, the profession faces a stark choice: reclaim clinical authority—or watch as automation, private capital, and consumer-facing models redefine it beyond recognition. The time for action is now: for transparency, for labor protections, and for a future where radiologists are seen not as validators, but as vital stewards of modern medicine. So what could that future look like? Here are three scenarios that may shape radiology's next decade. Where Radiology Is Heading Radiology doesn't implode—but it fragments. Teleradiology expands as a flexible but unstable labor model, with more physicians working as independent contractors across state lines. AI handles routine reads, and volume expectations rise. Burnout remains a risk, and the profession loses cohesion. This path may offer short-term efficiency gains but erodes long-term workforce sustainability and professional identity (NCBI). Rather than labor organizing—an unlikely path given regulatory and professional barriers in physician specialties—a more plausible outcome is increasing professional stratification. Subspecialists and proceduralists who perform complex interventions or high-reimbursement tasks retain leverage. Meanwhile, generalists and remote readers are increasingly treated as interchangeable. Some radiologists may pivot to advisory or compliance roles focused on AI oversight or quality assurance, but most will face declining autonomy and influence (JAMA). AI continues to integrate into radiology not as a revolution but as an extension of decades-long workflow optimization. Much like PACS, voice dictation, and automated contrast protocols, AI is folded into the radiologist's daily tasks—not as a partner, but as infrastructure. Reimbursement codes will adapt, and regulatory frameworks will likely evolve to support AI-assisted diagnostics, but the core challenge will remain: preserving physician authority in an increasingly industrialized model of care (Nature Digital Medicine).
Zawya
15-07-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Dubai Health and GE HealthCare to enhance Point-of-Care Ultrasound education and practice in the MENA region
Collaboration to encourage innovation and co-development of AI solutions in radiology, computer vision, and other areas Dubai, UAE: Dubai Health and GE HealthCare, a leading global medical technology and digital solutions innovator, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on enhancing Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) practices and co-developing innovative AI solutions to support clinical decision-making, ultimately enhancing patient care and outcomes across the UAE and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The collaboration combines Dubai Health's academic and innovation expertise with GE HealthCare's advanced technological capabilities to enhance medical education, strengthen clinical decision-making, and improve health outcomes throughout the UAE and the broader MENA region. The MoU will establish Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) as a POCUS Education Center of Excellence and a pioneer in Point-of-Care Ultrasound education across the MENA region. Key initiatives include: a 'Train-of-Trainer (TOT)' structured program to build capacity in certified facilitators and trainers. The Facilitator Training Program will also enhance the scalability and effectiveness of POCUS program delivery and execution across a broader geographical region, enabling wider participation of attendees, students, and delegates. In addition, the collaboration will extend to the co-development of AI solutions through Dubai Health Innovations, which supports transformative solutions that enhance patient care, drive medical advancements, and improve health outcomes. This partnership will focus on the development and validation of emerging AI technologies in areas of mutual interest, such as radiology and computer vision, aiming to improve diagnostic accuracy, streamline clinical workflows, and facilitate early detection of medical conditions. Through this joint effort, both parties seek to foster innovation, accelerate adoption of cutting-edge AI tools, and contribute to the advancement of healthcare delivery in the region. Dr. Hanan Al Suwaidi, Acting Chief Academic Officer of Dubai Health and Provost of MBRU said: 'This collaboration reflects Dubai Health's commitment to delivering on our 'Patient First' promise through the integration of care, learning, and innovation to elevate healthcare standards. By building capacity in POCUS education and co-developing AI-powered solutions, we are empowering clinicians with next-generation technologies to improve patient outcomes.' President of GE HealthCare EAGM (Eurasian and African Growth Markets), Konstantinos Deligiannis, said: 'This MoU marks a pivotal moment for POCUS advancement in the MENA region. We are excited to partner with Dubai Health to build skills, accelerate knowledge transfer, and strengthen the local and regional healthcare expertise. By combining our advanced ultrasound technology with innovative AI solutions, we are committed to enhancing diagnostic accuracy and efficiency, ultimately contributing to the region's broader healthcare objectives.' Dr. Rasha Buhumaid, Vice Dean of Graduate Medical Education, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, and Program Director of POCUS at MBRU, further commented: 'This partnership is a significant step toward realizing our vision of positioning MBRU as a Center of Excellence for Point-of-Care Ultrasound education. Through the Facilitator Training Program and other initiatives, this collaboration enables us to strengthen the integration of POCUS into clinical practice, build sustainable expertise, and support better outcomes at the point of care and across the health system.' Professor Nabil Zary, Senior Director of the Institute of Learning at Dubai Health, also noted: 'Education is at the heart of sustainable healthcare transformation. This partnership with GE HealthCare enables us to deliver high-impact, evidence-based training in POCUS that not only equips clinicians with advanced skills but also fosters a culture of continuous learning and innovation.' The MoU between the two parties will be in effect for two years and is renewable by mutual agreement. About Dubai Health Dubai Health, the first integrated academic health system in Dubai, was established to elevate the standard of care and to advance health for humanity. Dubai Health is comprised of 6 hospitals, 26 ambulatory health centers, 21 medical fitness centers, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, and Al Jalila Foundation. Together, Dubai Health serves patients through the integration of care, learning, discovery, and giving. A workforce of over 11,000 collaborates across multidisciplinary teams to put the patient first. About GE HealthCare Technologies Inc. GE HealthCare is a leading global medical technology, pharmaceutical diagnostics, and digital solutions innovator, dedicated to providing integrated solutions, services, and data analytics to make hospitals more efficient, clinicians more effective, therapies more precise, and patients healthier and happier. Serving patients and providers for more than 125 years, GE HealthCare is advancing personalized, connected, and compassionate care, while simplifying the patient's journey across the care pathway. Together our Imaging, Advanced Visualization Solutions, Patient Care Solutions, and Pharmaceutical Diagnostics businesses help improve patient care from diagnosis, to therapy, to monitoring. We are a $19.6 billion business with approximately 51,000 colleagues working to create a world where healthcare has no limits. Follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Instagram, and Insights for the latest news, or visit our website for more information.
Forbes
09-07-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Here's What Every Woman Should Know About Their Risk Of Breast Cancer
Breast cancer surgery scars by partial mastectomy. Breast cancer rates are rising across the United States, with most diagnoses occurring without a clear, predictable explanation. An estimated 85–90% of cases are sporadic, meaning they result from factors such as environmental exposures rather than a known inherited genetic mutation or strong family history. The lack of identifiable causes in most cases is concerning given that nearly 370,000 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates that 42,000 women are projected to die from the disease in 2025. Prevention and early detection of breast cancer are key to improving survival and both rely on understanding personal risk. 'The problem is that risk matters, but we are not good at measuring risk,' says Dr. Constance Lehman, professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School and breast imaging specialist. Current Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Current risk assessment focuses primarily on understanding family history and genetic risk factors. A strong family history—especially of breast and ovarian cancer—may suggest inherited mutations, like BRCA1/BRCA2. A mature African-American woman in her 40s wearing a hospital gown, getting her annual mammogram. ... More She is being helped by a technologist, a blond woman wearing scrubs. Mammograms can find cancer and also help estimate future risk by assessing breast density. While most women with dense breasts do not develop breast cancer, dense tissue does increase risk. Most radiologists use a scale called BI-RADS to rate breast density, with higher scores indicating more dense tissue and greater risk. The BI-RADS scale, however, relies on human interpretation and readings can vary between radiologists, making results inconsistent. Ancillary risk assessment tools, like the Tyrer-Cuzick and Gail models, gather information from patient questionnaires, such as 'any second-degree relatives with breast or ovarian cancer?' These answers estimate the likelihood of developing breast cancer. As these tools rely heavily on patient recall, they can also be inaccurate or incomplete. Health Inequities with Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Many of the current risk assessment tools, such as the Tyrer-Cuzick and Gail models, often underperform in racially and ethnically diverse populations—especially Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Indigenous women—due to limited representation in the original data used to train these models. In a study using the Tyrer‑Cuzick risk calculator of over 15,000 women, Black women were less likely to be classified as high-risk compared to white women, 10.7% vs. 17.5%, despite having similar incidence rates and higher mortality. This suggests that the model underestimates risk for Black women, increasing likelihood of inadequate monitoring, delayed diagnosis, and worse outcomes. Future of Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Doctor and patient discuss breast cancer screening 'Many women have never discussed breast cancer risk with their doctors,' Lehman says. 'Some calculate their score online, others fill out a questionnaire sent by their health system. It's chaotic.' To address this gap in care, Dr. Lehman founded Clairity, Inc. and developed Clairity Breast, an FDA-authorized platform that uses AI to analyze standard mammograms and generate a five-year breast cancer risk score. Unlike traditional risk assessment models, like Tyrer-Cuzick and Gail models, which rely on survey data from the patient, Clairity Breast uses the mammogram itself to assess risk—making it the first widely used model to do so. Their data set was also developed using images from a diverse patient population, unlike older models built on data primarily from racially homogenous populations. Clairity Breast is not a diagnostic tool, meaning it does not tell patients they have active cancer. Instead, it looks at mammograms and assesses risk of future cancer. 'This is a prognostic test,' Dr. Lehman emphasizes. 'We take a four-view standard mammogram and our model assesses it and generates a percentage risk score for the next five years,' Lehman states. The AI is trained to detect subtle patterns of concern on the mammogram that are invisible to the human eye. Dr. Andrea Merrill, a breast surgeon at Sentara Breast Surgery Specialists in Charlottesville, Virginia, sees promise in Clairity's approach. She says that currently about 10% of breast cancers go undetected on imaging, even with MRI. 'It's very possible that with more time and improvements, AI could eventually help detect subtle changes that indicate a cancer that normally wouldn't be seen,' she says. Merrill adds that current tools fail to detect cancer in women under 40 who don't meet criteria for high-risk screening. For patients detected to have increased risk by Clairity Breast, doctors 'can add supplemental imaging, such as MRI or contrast-enhanced mammograms, to detect cancers earlier and treat them at an earlier stage,' says Merrill. 'It might also inform treatment plans that include prescribing medications to reduce their predicted risk of breast cancer.' Clairity Breast launch in 2025 Clairity Breast is expected to become available in 2025, initially as a self-pay option. The company is working with insurers to pursue coverage, but cost remains a concern in regards to assuring access to all, especially marginalized groups. Though excited for this new technology, Merrill cautions patients against delaying care until Clairity Breast is released. 'I would not wait for this tool to get your mammogram,' Merrill emphasizes. 'Current screening mammography is still very effective and detects the majority of breast cancers.'
Medscape
08-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Physicians Reflect on Their First Life-Saving Interventions
Early in a physician's career, while acclimating to the hushed intensity of hospital corridors and coming to grips with relentless days and nights that bleed into each other, a moment emerges that redefines their calling: the first time they save a patient's life. Split-second decisions can mark the boundary between catastrophe and survival. Split-second decisions can mark the boundary between catastrophe and survival. Early-career physicians — not yet seasoned by the relentless pressures of life-and-death scenarios — must rely on their expertise and instincts in these moments that carry immense weight. It's the calm under pressure and the decisive actions they take that highlight the quiet heroism embedded in modern medicine. The Curious Case of the Swallowed Razor Blades Daryl Eber, MD, diagnostic radiologist and nuclear medicine physician, never forgets one of the first times he recognized something that led to the swift save of a patient who otherwise would have likely died. As an attending physician at a hospital in Miami, Eber and a senior resident were covering in the emergency department one evening. One patient's scans showed — to Eber — the presence of razorblades, which the patient must have swallowed. But Eber's senior resident and the ER doctor disagreed. The patient even denied it. But Eber stood his ground and, eventually, the patient went for surgery. Eber's confidence was finally vindicated. A surgical resident reported that not only were the two razors Eber saw but a third hiding in the small bowel. It was Eber's expertise in reading CT scans that helped save the patient's life. When a CT scan is done, Eber said, a scout-view image is taken at the beginning to help guide the main scan's position and settings. Though it is not a diagnostic image, the scout view serves as a reference to accurately position the patient. 'Most residents don't look at the scout view,' Eber said. 'They skip that and look at the images…but if you look at the scout view — which is a 2D image instead of 3D — you could see the two little holes on the blade where you attach the razor blade [to the handle]…. I've used these kind[s] of razor blades before…that's why I was so sure.' Eber is now owner and cofounder of 3T Radiology and Research in Miami and serves on staff at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, as well. Running With Bags of Blood While moonlighting during his final year of emergency medicine residency, Eric Bassan, MD, tried to stop a patient from bleeding to death after a spleen rupture with limited resources. 'It was a community hospital, not a trauma center…we had an assembly line of people running back and forth giving the blood product, running back to the blood bank and getting a new one…by the time somebody went to go pick up one, there was someone behind them picking up the next blood product. We kept on cycling people to try to get as much blood and products into this patient,' recalled Bassan. The patient initially presented to the ER with rapid respirations and heart rate after falling from a ladder. Besides abdominal pain, there didn't seem to be any other urgent symptoms to address. Bassan, being well attuned to what a sick trauma patient looked like, felt something wasn't right. 'I saw in the corner of my eye [that] he didn't look good…his vital signs were fine, he was talking normally, but he was mainly complaining of abdominal pain,' said Bassan. Bassan put an ultrasound on the patient's abdomen and did a Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma (FAST) exam. A FAST exam evaluates potential spaces where free fluid can accumulate and assesses areas of internal bleeding or other areas that may require surgery. Bassan saw fluid in the patient's abdomen. Because he was moonlighting and wasn't yet board-certified in his specialty, he had to run everything by the attending physician on duty, who wasn't familiar with trauma scenarios. Though Bassan wanted to transfer the patient to a trauma center, the attending physician wanted to send the patient to get a CT scan first. 'I didn't feel comfortable sending him to the CT scanner for an hour given how unwell he looked,' Bassan said. 'So, I went with him…his blood pressure slowly started declining…eventually as low as the '70s systolic, which is usually a sign of hemorrhagic shock.' Bassan called the attending so they could activate their mass transfusion protocol. In the setting of trauma, the protocol is for 'any time you need to give a large amount of blood products to resuscitate somebody…not just red blood cells but platelets and coagulation factors,' said Bassan. Bassan soon discovered that because they weren't at a trauma center, the facility didn't have a mass transfusion protocol. He continued to urge the attending physician to give the patient as much blood as possible. Upon viewing the patient's CT scan, Bassan could see a spleen rupture. Because the spleen is a vascular organ, if it ruptures, one could quicky die without proper surgical or blood products because of hemorrhaging into the abdomen. This started a race against time. Bassan and his colleagues had to run blood products back and forth from the blood bank as the blood bank would only give one single unit of blood or fresh frozen plasma at a time. 'We had people at the bedside just for the purpose of squeezing the bags as hard as they can to get as much [blood] as we could into him,' said Bassan. The patient's vital signs improved, but he was too unstable to transfer to a proper trauma center. Bassan got in touch with a surgeon from the hospital's call list who was able to come in and successfully remove the patient's spleen in the operating room. The patient lived and walked out of the hospital a few days later. Though Bassan's efforts helped save the patient's life, the experience was eye-opening for him. 'How do you take a situation where a hospital is not equipped for these specific emergencies and utilize the hospital's protocols in order to work for you? And you really have to do whatever it takes to make sure that a patient is cared for and to make sure that they're in the safest situation possible, despite what the constraints are.'
