Richard Earnest Sharpe MD, MBA, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Ronald Scott Winokur MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Richard Joseph Thomas Gorniak MD, Abstract Co-Author: Consultant, Bracco Group

Levon N. Nazarian MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Adam E. Flanders MD, Abstract Co-Author: Research Consultant, Geron Corporation

Vijay Madan Rao MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

RC represents a novel and useful educational tool that enhances education using preexisting resources.

Trainee preliminary reports are later finalized by attending radiologists. Many training programs have no efficient mechanism for communicating these changes to trainees, but these edits represent valuable resident educational opportunities. We created Report Comparator (RC) software to identify changes between preliminary and final reports. A script queries, extracts and stores preliminary and final reports. By logging in to a web application, trainees view their most recent 100 preliminary and final reports pairs side-by-side, and in a “track changes” mode. Audits track frequency of use. After application deployment, login frequency was audited and residents were surveyed to assess their attitudes regarding report comparing and the RC.

Reports were collected from 3/14–7/13/2010 and 12/31/10–3/29/11. There were 894 resident RC logins. 26 of 36 (72%) trainees returned surveys. Prior to RC, trainees compared reports daily to weekly (12, 46%), rarely or never (14, 54%). After RC release, trainees compared reports daily to weekly (21, 81%), rarely or never (5, 19%). Survey responses are reported by weighted average agreement, calculated using 5-point scale from “Strongly Agree” (+2), “Neutral” (0), to “Strongly Disagree” (-2). Trainees compare reports to improve: education +1.6, future report quality +1.46, and patient care +1.2. Trainees like using the RC +1.6 and feel RC helps significantly improve report quality +1.0. Trainees stated the most useful way to compare reports was via RC 23 (88%).

Increased volume and resident hour restrictions limit time for educational reading room interactions. Trainees may not be present when their preliminary reports are being checked, corrected and finalized. While not taking the place of direct mentor-trainee interaction, the RC allows trainees to review their work at their pace. Implementation of RC was associated with increased resident report  comparing. Awareness of edits improves trainee radiological understanding, the quality of future reports and feel these changes are best learned via RC software. 

Sharpe, R, Winokur, R, Gorniak, R, Nazarian, L, Flanders, A, Rao, V, Augmenting Resident Education with the Report Comparator: A Tool Which Enables Residents to Efficiently Identify Finalized Report Modifications.  Radiological Society of North America 2011 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 26 - December 2, 2011 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2011/11009987.html