title: The role of a radiology electronic notification system in the emergency department setting and its impact on patient care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To determine the impact of a radiology electronic notification system (ENS) on emergency department (ED) patient care.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of de-identified patient data for a 2-year period (1 year prior to and 1 year following ENS implementation) was approved by the hospital's institutional review board. The effect of a radiology ENS on ED patient care was investigated by analyzing the intervals between completion of a chest radiograph and the times antibiotics were ordered/administered on patients presenting with symptoms of community acquired pneumonia (CAP). The square root transformation of the means was analyzed with an ANOVA model to determine statistical significance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the 24-month study protocol, 1,341 patients who were evaluated in the ED met the study eligibility criteria. The least square estimates of the mean times from when the chest radiograph was completed to when antibiotics were ordered prior to and after the implementation of the ENS were 89 and 107 minutes, respectively (P < 0.01). The least square estimates of the mean times from when the chest radiograph was completed to when antibiotics were administered prior to and after the implementation of the ENS were 115 and 132 minutes, respectively (P = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The implementation of a radiology ENS does have advantages for the radiologist in streamlining the communication and documentation processes but may negatively impact time to treatment and thus patient care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, MC 8896, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
authors.forename: Lena A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Omar
authors.affiliation: Health Care Sciences/Emergency Medicine Education, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, MC 9134, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
authors.forename: Richard V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: Emergency Medicine, Department of Surgery, Quality and Safety of Emergency Services at Parkland Health & Hospital System, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, MC 8579, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pease
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, MC 8896, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
authors.forename: Hythem A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Omar
keywords: Emergency department; Patient care; Radiology electronic notification system