Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Radiologist productivity is featured this week on AuntMinnie.com, as we bring you a pair of studies illustrating how technology can improve efficiency and shorten report turnaround times.
First up is an article by staff writer Wayne Forrest on how voice recognition (VR) helped Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston improve its workflow and deliver reports more quickly to referring physicians.
Some radiologists have shunned voice recognition, claiming that the technology doesn't work or that it requires them to alter their work habits too drastically. But MGH, with 11 years of VR experience under its belt, is now producing final reports within three hours after a study is completed.
Find out how they do it by clicking here, or visit the Healthcare IT Digital Community at healthcareit.auntminnie.com.
PACS is another technology that can significantly affect radiology operations. In an article in our PACS Digital Community, staff writer Erik L. Ridley reports on the experiences of St. George's Hospital NHS Trust in London, which installed PACS software five years ago.
Similar to MGH's experience with VR, a team from St. George's found that PACS helped them cut their report turnaround times, even as procedure volume rose and the number of radiographers and clerical staff dropped. Radiologists also improved their productivity by reading more films, and the number of unreported films also dipped.
Learn more about their experiences by clicking here, or visit the PACS Digital Community at pacs.auntminnie.com.
