“A second opinion can reduce the odds of a misreading to less than five percent,” Adi Bendor, VP business development at ATDS.Who would trust an important medical decision based on one doctor’s opinion? When it comes to medical scans, such as MRIs, CTs, x-rays mammograms and even ultrasounds, doctors consult radiologists to help them diagnose the best and – unfortunately – the worst health scenarios.

No one wants to hear the word ‘tumor’. On the other hand, there is no normal American who would want a cancerous growth to go undetected. That’s why doctors who work with radiologists, the ones who read important medical scans, like to get a second opinion, especially if the case is urgent.

According to Adi Bendor, the VP of business development at ATDS, an Israeli-based teleradiology company, a second opinion is essential: “Why? There are mistakes at least 20 percent of the time in radiology reports, sometimes it’s as much as 30 percent,” he tells ISRAEL21c. A second opinion can reduce the odds of a misreading to less than five percent, he adds.

Reviewed within hours

In America, however, getting a quick confirmation on scan results can take a long time; mainly due to a shortage of radiologists. That’s where ATDS comes in. Founded in 2006, the company allows clinics and medical health professionals to upload medical scans, and have them reviewed by expert radiologists in Israel within hours, for a fraction of the cost.

Located in Tel Aviv, some 15 on-call radiologists out of a staff of 20, wait for scans. When uploaded they are sent to the best specialist to read after they have finished their shift at the hospital or clinic in Israel. The Israeli radiologists can read the scans while Americans are in bed, and return them back to the clinic or doctor within 24-48 hours.

The service, which costs $125 a scan, alleviates the pressure in Western medical facilities, where long waiting times can be deadly. And because Israeli radiologists take on fellowships at some of the best medical facilities in the US, patients can expect the same quality of care that they would find at home. In some areas, Israelis can lead the pack.

“Based on its expertise, our system forwards the exam to the most appropriate radiologist ensuring that interpretations are submitted in accordance with common health regulations and client deadlines,” ATDS writes in its website.

Speedy preliminary reports, a fraction of the cost

“We deliver interpretation services for preliminary reports in less than 30 minutes. Interpretations are comprehensive and relevant, and, when appropriate, include detailed findings that may encompass existing pathology not necessarily related to the clinical question at-hand.”

The ATDS service is currently open to physicians anywhere around the world. One simply goes to the site, registers, and uploads high quality scans.

ATDS is already working with Canada and Israel, and is now bidding for two projects in the US, says Bendor. In addition, the company is also currently establishing a branch in the UK.

“There is a huge shortage of radiologists in the US,” says Bendor, noting that such companies already operate in the US. “We are able to provide reports for less money,” he says – obviously an important factor in today’s financial crunch.