title: Reading efficiency can be improved by minor modification of assigned duties; a pilot study on a small team of general radiologists.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether alterations in the type of duty assignment system can affect the reading efficiency and stress level of diagnostic radiologists.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen board-certified diagnostic radiologists were enrolled. We investigated three different reading systems for 1 week each. System 1 is our default, in which there are no assigned duties and everyone finishes when all cases are done. In system 2, two late shift readers are assigned every day, and, after everyone else leaves at a fixed time (5:30 p.m.), they take all remaining cases until they are finished. In system 3, a dedicated single reader is assigned to finish 30 cases, and everyone else will read all remaining cases. The total time required for reading and the number of cases read were recorded. In addition, participants completed two questionnaires regarding work-related stress.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a trend toward shorter finishing time in system 2 and 3 compared to system 1 (P = 0.072 and 0.012). In terms of working stress, the subjective burden was lighter when systems 2 or 3 were employed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Minor modification of the duty assignment system has the potential to improve working efficiency and may reduce the work-related stress of diagnostic radiologists.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-Ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan. hjmykt@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yokota
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-Ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-Ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
authors.forename: Chisa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bamba
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-Ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiba
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-Ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamada
mesh_terms: D002568:Certification; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D010865:Pilot Projects; D000072177:Radiologists / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards*; D011871:Radiology / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D000066477:Work Performance; D016526:Workload
keywords: Dedicated reader system; Efficiency; Late shift reader system; Reading duty