[Workflow improvement and efficiency gain with near total digitalization of a radiology department].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the temporal changes of the workflow caused by digitalization of the radiology department after installation of digital luminescence-radiography (DLR), a radiology information system (RIS) and picture archiving and communication system (PACS) at the Missionsärztliche Klinik in April 2000.


METHODS
In a comparative study, a workflow analysis by manual registration of different work steps was performed before (1999) and after (2001) digitalization of a radiology department.


RESULTS
The digitalization shortened the examination time for patients from a mean of 8 min to 5 min. The time the patient is absent from the emergency room did not change. Reporting radiographic examinations including comparison with previous studies begins earlier from a mean of 2 h 37 min to 17 min. Using PACS, 85.9 % of all cases could be interpreted on the day of the examination (without PACS 41.2 %) and 87.2 % of the reports were completed the day after the examination (without PACS 64.5 %). No time differences were found between reading conventional studies on the monitor or as soft-copy.


CONCLUSIONS
Compared to conventional film-screen systems, complete digitalization of a radiology department is time saving at nearly all steps of the workflow, with expected positive effects on the workflow quality of the entire hospital.
Langen
H-L
HL
Radiologische Abteilung der Missionsärztlichen Klinik Würzburg. hj.langen@missioklinik.de
Bielmeier
J
J
Wittenberg
G
G
Selbach
R
R
Feustel
H
H
D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D005858:Germany; D006769:Hospitals, General; D016519:Hospitals, Religious; D006801:Humans; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D011872:Radiology Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011873:Radiology Information Systems / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013996:Time and Motion Studies; D014941:Work Simplification; D014963:X-Ray Intensifying Screens