Maximilian Cho MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Mark Daniel Kovacs MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Michael A. Trambert MD, Abstract Co-Author: Medical Advisor, DR Systems, Inc

With integration of the RIS, PACS, and reporting systems, patient identifiers and exam information can automatically map into exam reports. This automation should result in fewer errors, increased speed, and less fatigue for the radiologist. Many sites do not offer this level of integration and automation. This study assesses the potential benefits of report automation to radiologist workflow and efficiency.

13 staff radiologists and 9 radiology residents completed an anonymous 12 question 5 point survey. Respondents were asked if automatic pre-population of exam description, comparison exam data, indications, CT dose, technique, and copy to physician data saved time, decreased fatigue, and increased accuracy. Respondents were asked if the “copy findings” function in which findings from a previous exam are copied into the current report, saved time. 9 radiologists were asked to dictate these fields for 8 mock exams (2 ultrasound, 2 plain x-ray, 2 CT, and 2 MR) to simulate an environment where RIS, PACS and reporting are not tightly integrated. Subjects were timed and reporting errors monitored. These results were then used to calculate projected time savings and error rates on a mix of 100 studies -40 XR, 20 US, 20 CT, 20 MR- an estimate of daily workload for a radiologist.

95% surveyed (21 of 22) responded that report automation saved time. 91% responded that report automation improved accuracy of dictations. 82% responded that report automation decreased their fatigue. 83% of copy finding function users reported time savings. Average time to dictate these pre-populated fields was 51 seconds per study. Average error rate per report was 0.85, with an average of 0.27 errors remaining uncorrected upon report completion. Average time per day saved per radiologist from report automation was 75 minutes. Average corrected errors was 60 per day. Average uncorrected/missed errors was 26 per day.

Report automation using pre-populated fields was measured to save 75 minutes per day per radiologist, improve accuracy by avoiding 86 errors per day, and found to decrease fatigue for the radiologist. This automation results from tight integration of RIS, PACS, and reporting systems.

Report automation, in which exam report fields are automatically populated/mapped into the report, results in significantly improved radiologist efficiency and accuracy with decreased fatigue.

Cho, M, Kovacs, M, Trambert, M, Improved Reporting Efficiency and Accuracy from Field Pre-Population in Templated Reports.  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14003865.html