title: Value of trainees in a radiology department. A retrospective semi-quantitative analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the productivity (both economic and otherwise) of trainees within a radiology department at our institution.
  
  
  METHODS
  Productivity was measured in three ways: (1) independent workload contribution, (2) impact on on-call services, and (3) impact on day-to-day practice as perceived by consultant radiologists. Data were collected using retrospective searches on computerized radiology information system (CRIS), analysis of trainees and consultant rotas, and a questionnaire to consultants and trainees. Where possible, productivity was quantified in terms of number of programmed activities (PAs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The contribution of independent work by trainees in a single week was 52.75 PAs (or 1.45 PAs per trainee per week). In addition, the on-call contribution was 23.1 PAs per week (or 0.93 PAs per trainee per week). When both trainees and consultants report independently, productivity in a single list in most cases increased and can be as much as 197%. On calculating the economic impact, this amounts to significant savings of around £1.2million per year at our institution.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based upon objectively measurable areas of service provision, the employment of trainees yields considerable economic benefit. Furthermore, based upon qualitative methods we have shown that trainees contribute positively in those areas, which are much harder to quantifiably evaluate. These are benefits in addition to fundamental requirement to train future competent radiologists.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, Devon, UK. vvar@me.com
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vardhanabhuti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bhatnagar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shuen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sidhu
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fox
mesh_terms: D004526:Efficiency; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011871:Radiology / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D011872:Radiology Department, Hospital / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D015895:Relative Value Scales; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014146:Training Support / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D016526:Workload / Q000191:economics*