Professional Challenges in Medical Imaging for Providing Safe Medical Service

Abstract

This study explores the organization of medical physicists’, radiologists’, and radiographers’ professional work and the challenges they encounter ensuring quality and safe medical service within medical imaging. A practice theory perspective was used for data collection, which consisted of 14 open interviews, and data analysis. The concept of tension was used for the interpretation of findings. Three tensions are presented in the findings: 1) between diverse general and practical understandings about the activities in practice; 2) between material-economic conditions and activity in practice, and 3) between discursive-culture conditions and activity in practice. This study found that new technology, economical rationality, and the organisation of work processes lead to fewer face-to-face meetings between different professions. Therefore, medical imaging as dispersed practices misses opportunities for learning across practices, which can lead to patient safety risks. To ensure patient safety, new forms for learning across practices are needed.