Emergency Radiology: Organizational Models in Swiss and Nordic Hospitals

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Emergency Medicine
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Emergency radiology (ER) has become a distinct subspecialty.
• Organizational structures of ER vary significantly across healthcare systems.
• A collaborative survey assessed ER practices in Switzerland and four Nordic countries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the structure and practice of emergency radiology in Switzerland and Nordic countries.
• To compare ER organization, staffing, and resources between Switzerland and Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden.
• To identify common concerns and challenges faced by emergency radiologists in these regions.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was distributed to radiologists leading ER in 50 public hospitals (10 per country).
• The survey covered ER structure, staffing, imaging availability, on-call arrangements, and radiologist concerns.
• Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the collected categorical data.

Main Results:

• A 94% response rate (47 hospitals) was achieved, with 10 from Switzerland and 37 from Nordic countries.
• Dedicated CT for ER was available in 81% of hospitals (90% Swiss, 78% Nordic).
• Dedicated emergency radiologists were present in 51% of institutions (80% Swiss, 43% Nordic).
• 24/7 emergency MRI access was reported by 58% of hospitals (80% Swiss, 51% Nordic).
• Key concerns included increased workload, on-call coverage, and specialized ER training.

Conclusions:

• Swiss and Nordic hospitals face comparable challenges in emergency radiology.
• Significant differences exist in infrastructure and staffing models between Swiss and Nordic ER departments.
• The study provides valuable data for benchmarking and assessing the ongoing evolution of emergency radiology.