Workflow Interruptions and Effect on Study Interpretation Efficiency

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Imaging
• Healthcare Workflow Analysis

Background:

• Interruptions negatively impact efficiency, accuracy, and patient safety in healthcare settings.
• Radiologists face frequent disruptions during their workflow.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the frequency and types of interruptions experienced by radiologists.
• To assess the impact of these interruptions on radiology report interpretation efficiency.

Main Methods:

• A business process improvement team recorded radiologist activities.
• Activities were categorized into study interpretation, active interruptions, and passive interruptions.
• Observations were conducted over 61 hours with 13 pediatric radiologists.

Main Results:

• Radiologists spent 52% of time interpreting studies, with 29% on active and 18% on passive interruptions.
• Interruptions occurred frequently, often within 3 minutes of starting an interpretation.
• Interpretation times increased by 1-10 minutes per study depending on modality (radiographs, ultrasounds, CT, MRI).

Conclusions:

• Interruption time nearly matched interpretation time, significantly decreasing radiologist efficiency.
• Increased interpretation times across all modalities necessitate workflow optimization.
• Strategic interventions are crucial to manage radiologist workflow, improve efficiency, and enhance the work environment.