Thanks Roddy & Tgrugett for your insightful comments. You know, in my hospital a neuroradiologist makes >500'000$/yr for interpreting CT scans. A few years ago, technology provided the means for all doctors, not only neuroradiologists, to look at CT scans on their computer screens. There was a major outcry: the neuroradiologists shouted that NOBODY ELSE would be able to provide precise diagnoses, and patients would suffer as a consequence.

As it turns out, it's not so difficult to recognize a hemorrhage or a stroke. You've seen one, you know them all. The result: the hospital needs fewer neuroradiologists, their fees get under pressure, the patients save money, and the quality of care remains excellent. Everybody wins. Well, almost everybody...

A business model based on protectionism is inherently unstable. It did not take much to pull the rug under those guys' feet...