Selecting the Best Radiology Workflow Efficiency Applications

In the rapidly evolving digital radiology landscape, a surge in solutions has emerged including more than 500 artificial intelligence applications that have received 510 k clearance by the FDA. Moreover, there is an extensive number of non-regulated applications, specifically designed to enhance workflow efficiency within radiology departments. These efficiency applications offer tremendous opportunities to resolve operational pain points and improve efficiency for radiology practices worldwide. However, selecting the most effective workflow efficiency applications presents a major challenge due to the multitude of available solutions and unclear evaluation criteria. In this article, we share our perspective on how to structure the broad field of workflow efficiency applications and how to objectively assess individual solutions. Along the different stages of the radiology workflow, we highlight 31 key operational pain points that radiology practices face and match them with features of workflow efficiency apps aiming to address them. A framework to guide practices in assessing and curating workflow efficiency applications is introduced, addressing key dimensions, including a solution's pain point coverage, efficiency claim strength, evidence and credibility, ease of integration, and usability. We apply this framework in a large-scale analysis of workflow efficiency applications in the market, differentiating comprehensive workflow efficiency ecosystems seeking to address a multitude of pain points through a unified solution from workflow efficiency niche apps following a targeted approach to address individual pain points. Furthermore, we propose an approach to quantify the financial benefits generated by different types of applications that can be leveraged for return-on-investment calculations.