title: Workload of consultant radiologists in a large DGH and how it compares to international benchmarks.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure radiologist workloads in a UK radiology department using relative value units (RVUs), and compared these data to current international standards from Australia and Ireland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on reporting throughput was gathered for 13.5 whole-time equivalent (WTE) consultants at the DGHs of East Lancashire Hospitals Trust (ELHT) between April 2010 to March 2011. RVUs were assigned to the reported imaging studies to create a crude RVU/WTE score. This was compared to benchmarks from Australia and results from a similar study in Ireland. Time spent on teaching, multidisciplinary teams, and administration was factored in to create a net RVU/WTE score, more accurately assessing workload.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Radiologists in ELHT reported 110,315 imaging studies, producing a total of 649,617 RVUs. Crude reporting workloads were 48,119.78 RVUs/WTE, and net workloads were 83,674.00 RVUs/WTE (with consultants spending 42.49% of their time on non-reporting commitments). These crude and net workloads are far above the Australian maximum reporting benchmark of 45,000 RVUs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The workload is much higher than international benchmarks, indicating high-quality service and excellent value for money, but also highlights understaffing. Foreign RVU systems do not accurately reflect current UK practices and a UK-specific RVU system should be developed to assess staffing and analyse performance.
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, Blackburn, UK. shah.khan@elht.nhs.uk
authors.forename: S H M
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Hedges
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001315:Australia; D019985:Benchmarking / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003253:Consultants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D011871:Radiology; D011872:Radiology Department, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015895:Relative Value Scales; D006113:United Kingdom; D000078329:Workforce; D016526:Workload / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*