Health Imaging & IT - April 2008 - (Page 27)

Petersburg Independent Diagnostic Radiology in Clearwater, Fla., couldn’t agree more. After revitalizing his reading room with a new Anthro Carl’s Table and Verte Chair, he says, “my productivity has increased by 50 percent. I do all the work that I have to do in a day and do it faster and am more comfortable. I am much happier at work, and that’s something you can’t put a price on.” Characteristics of the Perfect Reading Room Experts cite a number of factors that are present in a perfect reading room, including: › Lighting. “Lighting is a major issue in reading rooms,” says David Hirshorn, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital and Staten Island University Hospital, in New York, who specializes in radiology informatics. “The biggest mistake people make is to use direct overhead lighting, which causes glare and can lead to eye strain as can working in a dark room. I’ve found that indirect light that is dimmable and where the light bounces off the wall is best.” Eliot Siegel, professor and vice chairman of the Diagnostic Radiology Department at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and chief of imaging for the VA Medical Healthcare System in Baltimore, Md., notes that when a number of radiologists work together in the same room, installing individual adjustable lighting in each work area allows each doctor to adjust the light to his or her own preferences. › Monitors Flat-panel monitors are best because they tend not to generate much heat, unlike older CRT monitors. Studies reveal that the optimal number of monitors for interpreting radiology studies is two; installing three or four shows no discernable increase in productivity or accuracy, and is generally much more expensive. Ideally, the monitors should be placed 40 centimeters from the eye. Also, the monitor should be no taller or not much taller than eye level; otherwise you have to look too far up or down, which can cause eye, neck and shoulder strain. › CoMputer MiCe Traditional computer mice can cause fatigue and even repetitive stress injuries to a radiologists’ wrists, so many experiment with varying designs. Hirshorn uses a RollerMouse Pro, which allows him to quickly move through CT scans and other studies that have hundreds or thousands of slices, while slowing down for studies that require more time to interpret. Mark Herbst, MD, PhD, president of St. Petersburg Independent Diagnostic Radiology in Clearwater, Fla., uses a KVM Video mouse that allows him to control multiple computers from a single device so he can move images from one computer to another with a flick of the mouse. Healthimaging.com april 2008 | Health Imaging & IT 2 http://Healthimaging.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Health Imaging & IT - April 2008

Health Imaging & IT - April 2008 Contents On the Web The Enterprise News Update Cracking Down: CT Radiation Dose 3D Rendering: Options Galore Thinking Thin-Client Modality Review Ergonomics & Design Special Section: Storage Strategies Imaging Tools Technology Outlook People & Technology Technology Review IT Trends Reader's Resource Stat Sheet

Health Imaging & IT - April 2008

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