Sustainable reduction of phone-call interruptions by 35% in a medical imaging department using an automatic voicemail and custom call redirection system.
Cost effective
Error
Interruption
Medical imaging
Patient safety
Radiology
Report
Sustainable
Journal
Current problems in diagnostic radiology
ISSN: 1535-6302
Titre abrégé: Curr Probl Diagn Radiol
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 7607123
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
17 Jan 2024
17 Jan 2024
Historique:
received:
02
10
2023
revised:
07
12
2023
accepted:
16
01
2024
medline:
31
1
2024
pubmed:
31
1
2024
entrez:
30
1
2024
Statut:
aheadofprint
Résumé
Have you ever been in the trenches of a complicated study only to be interrupted by a not-so urgent phone-call? We were, repeatedly- unfortunately. To increase productivity of radiologists by quantifying the main source of interruptions (phone-calls) to the workflow of radiologists, and too assess the implemented solution. To filter calls to the radiology consultant on duty, we introduced an automatic voicemail and custom call redirection system. Thus, instead of directly speaking with radiology consultants, clinicians were to first categorize their request and dial accordingly: 1. Inpatient requests, 2. Outpatient requests, 3. Directly speak with the consultant radiologist. Inpatient requests (1) and outpatient requests (2) were forwarded to MRI technologists or clerks, respectively. Calls were monitored in 15-minute increments continuously for an entire year (March 2022 until and including March 2023). Subsequently, both the frequency and category of requests were assessed. 4803 calls were recorded in total: 3122 (65 %) were forwarded to a radiologist on duty. 870 (18.11 %) concerned inpatients, 274 (5.70 %) outpatients, 430 (8.95 %) dialed the wrong number, 107 (2.23 %) made no decision. Throughout the entire year the percentage of successfully avoided interruptions was relatively stable and fluctuated between low to high 30 % range (Mean per month 35 %, Median per month 34.45 %). This is the first analysis of phone-call interruptions to consultant radiologists in an imaging department for 12 continuous months. More than 35 % of requests did not require the input of a specialist trained radiologist. Hence, installing an automated voicemail and custom call redirection system is a sustainable and simple solution to reduce phone-call interruptions by on average 35 % in radiology departments. This solution was well accepted by referring clinicians. The installation required a one-time investment of only 2h and did not cost any money.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Have you ever been in the trenches of a complicated study only to be interrupted by a not-so urgent phone-call? We were, repeatedly- unfortunately.
PURPOSE
OBJECTIVE
To increase productivity of radiologists by quantifying the main source of interruptions (phone-calls) to the workflow of radiologists, and too assess the implemented solution.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
METHODS
To filter calls to the radiology consultant on duty, we introduced an automatic voicemail and custom call redirection system. Thus, instead of directly speaking with radiology consultants, clinicians were to first categorize their request and dial accordingly: 1. Inpatient requests, 2. Outpatient requests, 3. Directly speak with the consultant radiologist. Inpatient requests (1) and outpatient requests (2) were forwarded to MRI technologists or clerks, respectively. Calls were monitored in 15-minute increments continuously for an entire year (March 2022 until and including March 2023). Subsequently, both the frequency and category of requests were assessed.
RESULTS
RESULTS
4803 calls were recorded in total: 3122 (65 %) were forwarded to a radiologist on duty. 870 (18.11 %) concerned inpatients, 274 (5.70 %) outpatients, 430 (8.95 %) dialed the wrong number, 107 (2.23 %) made no decision. Throughout the entire year the percentage of successfully avoided interruptions was relatively stable and fluctuated between low to high 30 % range (Mean per month 35 %, Median per month 34.45 %).
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
This is the first analysis of phone-call interruptions to consultant radiologists in an imaging department for 12 continuous months. More than 35 % of requests did not require the input of a specialist trained radiologist. Hence, installing an automated voicemail and custom call redirection system is a sustainable and simple solution to reduce phone-call interruptions by on average 35 % in radiology departments. This solution was well accepted by referring clinicians. The installation required a one-time investment of only 2h and did not cost any money.
Identifiants
pubmed: 38290903
pii: S0363-0188(24)00003-3
doi: 10.1067/j.cpradiol.2024.01.004
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Declaration of competing interest None of the authors has any conflict of interest to disclose.