Radiology
What if radiologists could organize, review, analyse and report imaging studies using just one workspace?
Imagine what could happen if radiologists didn’t have to hunt down missing data, toggle between disparate applications, and perform low-value reporting tasks.
How can we elevate the work experience for radiologists so that they can focus on more high-value activities? Can we bring the same transformative relief to radiologists that corporate productivity apps have brought to millions of knowledge workers in other sectors? We believe we can. Imagine an enterprise imaging platform that lets you capture, manage, archive and collaborate on databases, applications and workflows across your organisation. The boon to productivity would be significant.
When radiologists have to focus on low-value tasks, not only can productivity suffer, but also the ability to deliver well-informed and meaningful guidance to their clinical colleagues. Not having sufficient time to go in-depth with a case can compromise the quality and value of a radiologist's clinical insights. This article looks at the efficiency benefits of a single unified, comprehensive workspace for radiology.
At a glance
Challenge For radiologists, the ability to quickly access, synthesize and analyze data is the key to productivity and meaningful clinical insight. Disconnected data sources, analytics tools and collaboration capabilities can slow workflow and introduce potential for error.
Solution
Results A single common workspace with easy access to native clinical applications for advanced visualization capabilities that enhance diagnostic confidence and streamline workflow, allowing for consistent quantification of measurements and fast decisions.
Where are radiologists losing precious time and opportunity today?
There is a huge effort required by radiologists to pull together relevant patient information to provide informed guidance to referring colleagues, especially in complex clinical domains such as neurology and oncology, where imaging studies are complemented by many other types of information, including pathology reports, molecular tests and genetic profiles.
3% to 5% of radiology cases are misdiagnosed annually worlwide. 1
Because it’s not uncommon for radiologists to review 100 cases per day, at least three of those cases are likely to be misdiagnosed. Add to that variations in operator training and individual differences in how images are acquired, and it’s easy to see the value of common interfaces and quantification tools across modalities. The benefits of standardisation are economic, as well.
How serious an issue is this inefficiency?
We have to recognise the realities that radiology teams deal with daily. Stressors, including a high case volume and the need to switch among viewing environments, contribute to radiologist burnout.3 As COVID-19 has made us realise all too well, diagnostic imaging is at the heart of modern healthcare. Expectations for timely, convenient, definitive diagnostic imaging continue to rise. Yet, on both an operational and a clinical level, workflow inefficiencies take a heavy toll on staff. For radiologists, this burden takes the form of large amounts of data, disconnected and inefficient systems, increasing workloads and complexity of cases and pressing reporting demands – all of which can fuel frustration, burnout and a sense of disconnection from patient-centered care.
In 2020, almost half (45%) of trusts and health boards left images auto-reported or unreported, which risks the potential for patients’ diagnoses to be missed or delayed. 3
See how a unified workspace can streamline workflows
Let’s take a look at some of the immediate benefits of a unified approach. A single, unified workspace for radiology would incorporate advanced 3D post-processing and image distribution capabilities, opened in an additional viewer tab for ease.
A unified workspace would mean that users can easily launch the relevant analysis tools from among the 70+ advanced applications available across multiple clinical domains. Artificial Intelligence can play a role by automating tasks and workflows, predicting usage patterns.
Discover how Hospital Nuestra Señora del Rosario is increasing productivity
The CT and MR radiologists at Hospital Nuestra Señora del Rosario in Madrid, Spain, complete approximately 35,000 highly specialised studies per year. An estimated 30 to 40% of these studies call for advanced imaging. Waiting for images to open in a separate advanced visualisation workstation had a major impact on radiologist productivity.
Now, with integrated workflow within a single workspace, Dr. Eliseo Vañó Galván, Cardiovascular Radiologist and Chair of the CT & MR Department, says,
We save at least one to two minutes per patient. So that is a lot of time saved at the end of the day, across every specialist in our department. With the new integrated workflow, we quantify much more than ever before.”
Customer story
Interested in learning more about how Hospital Nuestra Señora del Rosario experiences the value of a unified workspace for radiology every day?
Why you need an all-in-one workspace
An all-in-one workspace, fully integrated with the enterprise imaging platform and embedded in the diagnostic viewer, offers simple, efficient access to all needed tools across clinical domains. One-click access to advanced visualisation tools – such as virtual colonoscopy, 3D processing, and spectral imaging – allows for efficient interpretation and supports diagnostic confidence.
How Philips can support you
Philips Diagnostic Radiology Viewer
Provides a single workspace with relevant tools for confident reading and insightful reporting, improving workflow and productivity by using embedded native 3D functionality and multimedia reporting.
Watch the short demo
See how Diagnostic Radiology Viewer works
IntelliSpace Portal
Offers advanced visualisation with a robust set of tools for AI-assisted quantitative assessment and automatic results generation.
*Results presented are for illustrative purposes only and are not predictive of actual results for your business.
1 Itri J, Tappouni R, McEachern R, et al. Fundamentals of diagnostic error in imaging. RadioGraphics. 2018; 38:6:1845-1865. doi.org/10.1148/rg.2018180021 2 catalinaimaging.com/radiologist-burnout/ 3 Clinical radiology UK workforce census 2020 report (rcr.ac.uk)
Auto reporting is a standard response sent automatically to referrers, informing them that the imaging examination will not receive a forma radiology report and that it is their responsibility to provide one.
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At a glance
Challenge
For radiologists, the ability to quickly access, synthesise and analyse data is the key to productivity and meaningful clinical insight. Disconnected data sources, analytics tools and collaboration capabilities can slow workflow and introduce potential for error.
Solution
Results
A single common workspace with easy access to native clinical applications for advanced visualisation capabilities that enhance diagnostic confidence and streamline workflow, allowing for consistent quantification of measurements and fast decisions.
Other radiology workflow challenges in focus
Integrating radiology workflows to accelerate precision diagnosis
Philips helps integrate radiology workflows to accelerate your path to precision diagnosis. Improve and streamline workflows. See how.
