RIS-PACS, patient safety, and clinical risk management

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Health Informatics
• Clinical Risk Management

Background:

• Clinical risk management is fundamental for safety in radiological workflows.
• Reconciliation of radiological studies occurs in 0.2-0.5% of stored studies, a significant rate given the volume of diagnostic tests.
• Non-compliance in Radiology Information Systems (RIS) and Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) requires significant administrative workload.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a method for managing risk in clinical radiology workflows.
• To implement a system compliant with regional RIS-PACS safety guidelines.
• To improve the management and monitoring of data reconciliation requests.

Main Methods:

• Development of a dedicated RIS webpage for managing reconciliation requests.
• Native integration of the RIS webpage with PACS for real-time information sharing.
• Utilizing the system to track and manage non-compliance issues.

Main Results:

• In 2013, non-compliance rates ranged from 0.25% to 0.35% of studies sent to PACS.
• Over 50% of non-compliances are associated with high clinical risk, necessitating rapid response mechanisms.
• The RIS-integrated module facilitated efficient error management and workflow optimization.

Conclusions:

• The RIS-integrated module is effective for managing and monitoring errors, leading to workflow improvements.
• Traceability of requests and events enables personalized training to minimize procedural errors.
• Integrated reconciliation management is essential for maintaining data availability, consistency, and patient safety in radiology.