Radiology information system: a workflow-based approach.
OBJECTIVE
Introducing workflow management technology in healthcare seems to be prospective in dealing with the problem that the current healthcare Information Systems cannot provide sufficient support for the process management, although several challenges still exist. The purpose of this paper is to study the method of developing workflow-based information system in radiology department as a use case.


METHODS
First, a workflow model of typical radiology process was established. Second, based on the model, the system could be designed and implemented as a group of loosely coupled components. Each component corresponded to one task in the process and could be assembled by the workflow management system. The legacy systems could be taken as special components, which also corresponded to the tasks and were integrated through transferring non-work- flow-aware interfaces to the standard ones. Finally, a workflow dashboard was designed and implemented to provide an integral view of radiology processes.


RESULTS
The workflow-based Radiology Information System was deployed in the radiology department of Zhejiang Chinese Medicine Hospital in China. The results showed that it could be adjusted flexibly in response to the needs of changing process, and enhance the process management in the department. It can also provide a more workflow-aware integration method, comparing with other methods such as IHE-based ones.


CONCLUSIONS
The workflow-based approach is a new method of developing radiology information system with more flexibility, more functionalities of process management and more workflow-aware integration. The work of this paper is an initial endeavor for introducing workflow management technology in healthcare.
Zhang
Jinyan
J
The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrumentation of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
Lu
Xudong
X
Nie
Hongchao
H
Huang
Zhengxing
Z
van der Aalst
W M P
WM
D002681:China; D003195:Computer Communication Networks; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011873:Radiology Information Systems / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018511:Systems Integration; D057188:Workflow