The radiology department is a touchpoint with almost every department in a healthcare facility. Providers spend billions of dollars on radiology improvements, usually highly technical hardware, every year. But what about the radiology workflow – doesn’t that deserve some attention? Healthcare providers need the latest innovative solutions, and that includes those that can improve workflow.
Improvements in radiology workflow can help you save money and provide better patient care, not to mention, prevent burnout among employees in imaging centers. As for the cost issue, there is speculation among leaders in the industry that as much as $20 billion per year is wasted due to widespread inefficiencies in the radiology workflow. This is often associated with the wrong test being conducted at the wrong time or when patients receive redundant examinations.
Streamlining
Given the technical nature of daily tasks in the average imaging center, it should come as no surprise that the most efficient workflows occur in facilities where IT is part of the solution. This has a lot to do with understanding your data, managing it in a meaningful way and streamlining the entire process. IT is often viewed as a gatekeeper to your data and can make it more useful for you. They set you up with the right tools and ensure they’re compatible with your current infrastructure.
Training your employees is also an important part of streamlining for improved radiology workflow, especially where managing your clinical data is concerned. In fact, everyone on staff should know how to work with clinical data, which is why regular education services are recommended, so everyone is current.
Automation and Communication
Another commonality with those who have had success with improving workflow revolves around putting in place various automated solutions that take tedious but important tasks out of the hands of humans and to an artificial intelligence/automated platform. The best ones will provide system alerts for better managing data and patient care.
Workflow is also improved with real-time communication solutions because there is no more effective way to manage data and transfer images than doing it in real-time. Another perk to this method is that you avoid many problems that end up causing a bottleneck.
Finding the Right Technological Solutions
It’s difficult to meet all your real-time goals if you don’t have the right technology on your side. If storing, sharing and viewing images has been the biggest hang-up in your facility, look toward the cloud for solutions.
At OffSite Image Management, we’ve developed tools that vastly improve your method of viewing images from anywhere at any time. Furthermore, our cloud-based technology gives you more options in storing and sharing images with anyone who needs access to them. Contact us and let’s discuss the ways in which we can assist you in improving your radiology workflow.
