Paul G. Nagy PhD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Reuben Saul Mezrich MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Penny Olivi, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Eliot Lawrence Siegel MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Teri Amelung, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Nabile M. Safdar MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

The University of Maryland is a large academic medical center with over 40 full time radiologists, 12 fellows, and 10 per diem on call radiologists. We do not allow proxy signing and we have eight areas of specialization.We have implemented a process to improve the verification time for radiologist reports utilizing a web based dashboard and quality improvement principles. The verification time is the time from when transcription writes up the report and it is waiting to be signed off and finalized. The verification time for reports was base lined for two weeks prior at 32.9 +/- 64.4 hours (n=10974).

A program was developed in the Python programming language to emulate a user and log into the RIS four times a day during the week and twice on weekends. The program would capture the unsigned summary report from IDXRAD version 9 and the list would be uploaded into a separate database and radiologists with reports to be signed would be emailed and paged. A graphical web based dashboard was developed to allow for real time management of the verification time by the leadership of the department. A turnaround metric was created from the product of the number of reports to be signed and their respective age (in days). The index was normalized and a cumulative Pareto was generated graphically to show what percentage of the department’s delay belonged to which radiologist. The chairman could use this tool to focus on the worst performers in real time. Section chiefs could monitor the relative performance of their sections to make sure they are doing all they can do to ensure all reports are signed off.

Within two weeks of operation, the department achieved a verification time of 11.8 +/- 23.5 hours (n=11281). A t-test showed this was a significant difference (P<0.001). The system retained the unsigned summary reports over time so a history of a radiologist could be reviewed for analysis. Because this tool was available on the intranet this also allowed healthy competition between sections.

The combination of technology with social engineering efforts can have a significant impact upon reducing the report turnaround time.

Nagy, P, Mezrich, R, Olivi, P, Siegel, E, Amelung, T, Safdar, N, Improving Radiologist Verification Times in a Large Academic Hospital through Social Engineering: The Use of Automatic Paging and a Web-based Dashboard for Real-time Management.  Radiological Society of North America 2005 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 27 - December 2, 2005 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2005/4419544.html