[Quality management in a radiology department].
OBJECTIVE
To increase the quality of internal and external interactions (patients, clinical colleagues, technicians, radiologists) in a department of radiology.


METHODS
Accompanied by a well-experienced adviser workshops have been performed dealing with different topics like "contact to patients," "performance of the radiological report and interaction with the referring colleague" or "research and teaching." A catalogue of different actions was defined to reduce hindrances within the internal and external work-flow.


RESULTS
A total number of 53 actions was defined and related to different persons who were responsible for the realisation of the measures within a time interval. Six months after starting the quality management 46 (86%) of the defined actions were realised successfully, and another 4 (8%) measures were still running. There was a moderate increase of satisfaction of the patients and clinical colleagues considering the waiting time.


CONCLUSIONS
A quality management in a radiological department allows an optimisation of the internal and external interactions. However, the guidance of a well-experienced adviser is as essential as the continuous control of successful finished measures.
Fischer
U
U
Abt. Röntgendiagnostik, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, 37075 Göttingen. uwe.fischer-weende@t-online.de
Vosshenrich
R
R
Baum
F
F
Schorn
C
C
Funke
M
M
Strasser
G
G
Staudacher
J
J
Grabbe
E
E
D004493:Education; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany; D006754:Hospital Restructuring / Q000379:methods*; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008332:Management Quality Circles / Q000458:organization & administration; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011872:Radiology Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014850:Waiting Lists