Continuous quality improvement process to track lost radiographs and reduce losses

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Healthcare Quality Improvement
• Medical Informatics

Background:

• Incomplete or "lost" imaging studies pose challenges in radiology departments.
• Timely reporting of imaging studies is crucial for patient care and operational efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a quality improvement process to reduce incomplete imaging studies.
• To decrease the turnaround time from imaging study initiation to final report printing.

Main Methods:

• Defined incomplete cases as studies lacking a signed report between 3 and 90 days post-imaging.
• Developed a computer program to generate monthly incomplete case lists from the radiology information system.
• Analyzed process steps, identified root causes, and implemented short- and long-term interventions from 1992-1999.

Main Results:

• Identified issues at multiple stages of the imaging and reporting workflow.
• Implemented departmental interventions reduced the incomplete case list by 72%, from 2.8% to less than 0.8% of all examinations.
• External factors contributed to some root causes, but internal improvements were significant.

Conclusions:

• Continuous quality improvement effectively reduces incomplete imaging studies in radiology.
• Streamlining the reporting process improves patient care and enhances departmental revenue.