PACS' efficiency leaves more time for research and education

Administration, education and research may all become more efficient as teaching hospitals implement PACS, according to researchers from the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore.

Dr. Barry Daly presented the results of a study examining the influences of PACS on non-clinical activities in an academic medical center at last month's RSNA conference in Chicago.

In the study, Daly, and his colleague Jum Ko, surveyed 53 radiologists (34 faculty/fellows and19 residents) at the medical center to measure their perceptions of time savings achieved by PACS. All respondents had one year of experience with the facility’s Impax 3.5 PACS (Agfa Medical, Ridgefield Park, NJ).

They also sought information from the radiologists on any changes in educational, research, or administrative activities compared to the pre-PACS era.

The researchers then created a quantitative and qualitative measurement tool to compare the PACS environment with the previous hard-copy film era. A 5-point scale determined results, with 1 representing less time, 3 representing equal time, and 5 more time.

The survey included the following parameters: time required to interpret studies; alteration in overall work efficiency to allow radiologists more time for education, administration, and research; and use and general impressions of the value of PACS for teaching or clinical conferences. Confidence levels were at least 95% for all parameters measured.

According to the results, PACS reduced the amount of time needed to interpret studies. The survey found that the radiologists needed less time (a mean score of 2.3) to interpret all imaging modalities than the previous hard-copy equivalent.

All radiologists were judged to be more efficient in the PACS era, with more time for non-clinical activities. This applied more to residents and appears to reflect a major decrease in their clerical work burden. Perceived overall work efficiency for residents, fellows, and attending physicians was considered improved by 93%, 95%, and 83% of respondents, respectively.

Daly observed that all the surveyed radiologists had increased time for education, administration, and research, with faculty and fellows scoring a mean of 3.5 and residents reporting a mean of 3.8.

He noted that 60% of all radiologists (and an overwhelming 94% of residents) used PACS for teaching conferences. However, many faculty radiologists continued to use materials from the pre-PACS era for teaching conferences, partly due to the lack of a dedicated teaching file within the system, he said.

Clinical conferences were considered to be improved by PACS, as 66% of all radiologists used the system for their conferences -- most likely because PACS made it easier to obtain imaging studies for review, the researchers found. Overall, the Impax system improved teaching and clinical conferences, according to 74% and 95% of respondents, respectively.

By Jonathan S. Batchelor
AuntMinnie.com staff writer
December 12, 2000

Click here to post your comments about this story in our PACS Digital Community. Please include the headline of the article in your message.

Copyright © 2000 AuntMinnie.com

Page 1 of 775
Next Page