Improving efficiency in the radiology department. 2017

Alexander J Towbin, and Laurie A Perry, and David B Larson
Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., MLC 5031, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA. alexander.towbin@cchmc.org.

The modern radiology department is built around the flow of information. Ordering providers request imaging studies to be performed, technologists complete the work required to perform the imaging studies, and radiologists interpret and report on the imaging findings. As each of these steps is performed, data flow between multiple information systems, most notably the radiology information system (RIS), the picture archiving and communication system (PACS) and the voice dictation system. Even though data flow relatively seamlessly, the majority of our systems and processes are inefficient. The purpose of this article is to describe the radiology value stream and describe how radiology informaticists in one department have worked to improve the efficiency of the value stream at each step. Through these examples, we identify and describe several themes that we believe have been crucial to our success.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008491 Medical Informatics Applications Automated systems applied to the patient care process including diagnosis, therapy, and systems of communicating medical data within the health care setting. Application, Medical Informatics,Applications, Medical Informatics,Informatics Applications, Medical,Informatics Application, Medical,Medical Informatics Application
D010372 Pediatrics A medical specialty concerned with maintaining health and providing medical care to children from birth to adolescence.
D011872 Radiology Department, Hospital Hospital department which is responsible for the administration and provision of x-ray diagnostic and therapeutic services. Hospital Radiology Department,X-Ray Departments,Department, Hospital Radiology,Department, X-Ray,Departments, Hospital Radiology,Departments, X-Ray,Radiology Departments, Hospital,X-Ray Department,Department, X Ray,Departments, X Ray,Hospital Radiology Departments,X Ray Department,X Ray Departments
D011873 Radiology Information Systems Information systems, usually computer-assisted, designed to store, manipulate, and retrieve information for planning, organizing, directing, and controlling administrative activities associated with the provision and utilization of radiology services and facilities. PACS (Radiology),Picture Archiving And Communication System,Picture Archiving and Communication Systems,Picture Archiving, Radiologic,X-Ray Information Systems,Archiving, Radiologic Picture,Information System, Radiologic,Information System, Radiology,Information Systems, Radiologic,Information Systems, Radiology,Radiologic Information System,Radiologic Information Systems,Radiologic Picture Archiving,Radiology Information System,System, Radiologic Information,System, Radiology Information,Systems, Radiologic Information,Systems, Radiology Information,Xray Information Systems,Information System, X-Ray,Information System, Xray,Information Systems, X-Ray,Information Systems, Xray,PACSs (Radiology),System, X-Ray Information,System, Xray Information,Systems, X-Ray Information,Systems, Xray Information,X Ray Information Systems,X-Ray Information System,Xray Information System
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D017146 Models, Organizational Theoretical representations and constructs that describe or explain the structure and hierarchy of relationships and interactions within or between formal organizational entities or informal social groups. Organizational Models,Model, Organizational,Organizational Model
D017598 Efficiency, Organizational The capacity of an organization, institution, or business to produce desired results with a minimum expenditure of energy, time, money, personnel, material, etc. Efficiency, Administrative,Productivity, Organizational,Program Efficiency,Administrative Efficiency,Organizational Productivity,Efficiency, Program,Organizational Efficiency,Program Efficiencies
D058996 Quality Improvement The attainment or process of attaining a new level of performance or quality. Improvement, Quality,Improvements, Quality,Quality Improvements

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