Doctor finds new way to work from home
When Suffolk doctor Simon Smith started his medical training he never dreamt that he would end up working in his own home.
Page 15 lead with pic
Headline: Simon's a new kind of home worker
Sub-head: Radiologist able to work online
By REBECCA LEFORT
health reporter
rebecca.lefort@eveningstar.co.uk>
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IS there a doctor in the house?
When Suffolk doctor Simon Smith started his medical training he never dreamt that he would end up working in his own home.
But today the consultant radiologist is able to diagnose patients from his Stonham Aspal house, thanks to cutting edge new technology.
Dr Smith, 40, works in his spare time for Medica, a company which runs teleradiology services, and works at Ipswich Hospital, which is not involved with the scheme, the rest of the time.
He said: “I definitely wasn't thinking about working from home when I trained as a doctor.
“But you can't predict how the technology will work. It is nice working from home because of the flexibility. I normally work for three or four hours a week for Medica.
“I think it will become more and more important in the future and I wanted to be involved.
“I don't think it will ever come to not having radiologists in hospital, but a much bigger proportion will work re-motely.
“The quality of image is just as good but you don't get the interaction with colleagues which is important in com-plex cases.”
To do the work Dr Smith needs a broadband computer with a very high-resolution screen.
From his home he then receives medical scans from across the country which he analyses before sending his diag-nosis back to hospitals, GPs and other medical professionals.
Have you started to work from home? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.
