This study aims to explore the perceptions of radiographers about private entrepreneurship in radiology, and to recommend enterprising attributes that radiographers should have in order to be able to open their privately owned radiology departments.

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Perceptions of South African Radiographers on Private Practice entrepreneurship in Diagnostic Radiography

                        A research proposal presented to the

                Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg,

                     in fulfillment for the Bachelors  Degree in Radiography by

                                  Collen Khulekani Mbambo

                                (Student number:  802015458)

Supervisor:…………………………………                                                     ……………………

    Mrs. Ms Amanda Louw                                                                       Date

             

  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Currently there is a dire shortage of radiographers in South Africa as many seek employment overseas. South African trained radiographers are in high demand in countries such as the UK, Ireland, Canada and Australia. Radiographers in South Africa are classified by the Department of Health as a ‘scarce-skill’. Radiographers may find employment in state facilities, the private sector and may also open their own private practices.

Alongside Radiologists, Radiographers are the only other professionals who are allowed by the South African Radiation Board to own a license to operate the sophisticated and hazardous equipment used to acquire X-rays, however little interest has been shown by radiographers in South Africa to take advantage of this privilege and open their own private practices.  

This study aims to explore the perceptions of radiographers about private entrepreneurship in radiology, and to recommend ‘enterprising attributes’ that radiographers should have in order to be able to open their privately owned radiology departments.

The method employed will be a qualitative phenomenology approach, using   purposeful sampling method to get information rich participants. The data collection method will be in the form of participants responding to questions posed by the researcher and participating in focus group interviews.

It is anticipated that the outcome of this study will contribute to the absent literature of the perceptions of South African Radiographers on Private Practice entrepreneurship in Diagnostic Radiography and give insight to an aspect of business and entrepreneurship amongst Radiographers and other Allied Health Professions. and encourage health care professionals to take the initiative of expanding their career paths by venturing into ‘business’

  1. INTRODUCTION

There is a dire shortage of radiographers in South Africa as many seek employment overseas. The radiography profession in South Africa is classified by the Department of Health as a ‘scarce-skill’. Radiographers have employment opportunities in the public and the private sector and may also establish their own private practices (Steenkamp, 2010:01). Radiologists, through partnerships and corporations, are currently dominating well established radiology centres in the country, most of which are managed by Radiographers due to their extensive knowledge and expertise in medical imaging operations.

The Department of Health in South Africa allows radiographers the opportunity to open their own private practices and claim from medical aids, provided they are registered with the Health Professions Counsel of South Africa (HPCSA), as independent private practitioners. This is an important development, because it enables Radiographers to provide radiographic services to communities, especially in rural areas where there is little interest shown by Radiologists, perhaps due to lack of opportunities available to generate maximum profits.

Yousem and Beuchamp (2008: 326), states that, teleradiology is a consultative process by which images and patient information are transmitted to a remote location where interpretations are rendered and then returned to the requesting care provider, in this case the provider will be a radiographer who is practicing independently. This is further evidence that there is a huge possibility for radiographers to offer radiological services, which may alleviate the current state of insufficient service delivery yet at the same time create an opportunity for growth in the career path through entrepreneurship and business development in medical imaging.

In 2004 an enormous project of getting the fee and coding structures up to date in order for Radiographers to be able to practice independently and claim directly from medical aids was started by the Society of Radiographers of South Africa (SORSA). This initiative was expected to lead to an increase in Radiographer owned imaging practices (Steenkamp, 2010:01); however, the numbers of radiographic practices owned by radiographers are still very low, the transition from clinical radiographer to clinical manager in this regard is proving to be a big challenge, and it is of high importance for such a task. Studies have been conducted about radiology business practice particularly for Radiologists, but very little research has been done to evaluate the participation of radiographers or lack thereof, in private radiography practice. Only one study by Okaro and Ohagwu (2010) has been done in Nigeria to examine problems and prospects of establishing and managing radio-diagnostic centres by radiographers. In order to gain insight into this phenomenon, a qualitative study to explore radiographers’ perceptions regarding private radiography practice will have to be conducted.

  1. LITERATURE REVIEW

According to Daniel, Mollura, Ezana,. Azene, Starikovskya, Thelwellc, Iosifescud, Kimblee, Polin, Garra, Stigter, Short, Johnsonj, Welchj, Walkerk, White, Javadi, Lungren, Zaheer, Goldberg, Lewin (2010: 496), access to radiology in developing countries has been widely documented, and two thirds of the world’s population lacks adequate access to medical imaging. There is no exception in South Africa especially in the rural areas, given the fact that in a population of approximately 49 million citizens, there are only 6, 105 registered qualified radiographers and ? radiologists according to the HPCSA .

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Radiology and imaging can be a successful business that can earn lots of profits if managed efficiently. Despite huge investments in cash and efforts, (Okaro and Ohagwu 2010: 324) identifies several other challenges which may face private medical imaging practices such as poor infrastructure, unstable economic climate, poor business and managerial skills just to mention a few. However, Yousem and Beuchamp (2008: 22), states that these challenges can be overcome with adequate attention to technology, capital planning, business planning and finance, entrepreneurship development and operational efficiency, and the fact that failure can be minimized and growth maximized.

Given the cost, ...

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