Health Imaging & IT - June 2008 - (Page 11)

mics, Soarian Clinical Access from Siemens Medical Solutions specifically to maintain its high level of productivity. The software replaced a manual system that was “cumbersome and time-consuming,” says RIS Administrator Craig Luedtke. The software’s RIS application lets Luedtke tie relative value units (RVUs), as designated by the American College of Radiology, to specific procedures for a breakdown by department. Users can manipulate the various fields to produce detailed charts on any metric. The ability to track equipment has most benefited CT and MR, says Luedtke. “Their schedules are so tightly packed that tracking allows them to move staff around to better handle workloads.” Plus, it allows for justification for new equipment if the time comes. “If RVUs are going through the roof, we know to add equipment and/or staff.” If one location is low on staff for the procedures scheduled, they can share staff members with another location, ensuring better utilization of staff. Right now, the organization has one main radiology group which services five hospitals. The group rotates and uses worklists set up within the RIS to divvy up the workload. That, Luedtke says, “lets us get very good utilization out of them.” [ One of Metro’s Imaging’s five locations in St. Louis, Mo.; a sample of screenshot from the Merge RIS Metro has utilized since 2003. Merge PACS was added in 2005 and mammography viewing software in 2006. ] Distributing duties Metro Imaging, a five-location radiology practice in St. Louis, has been a Merge RIS customer since 2003. In 2005, the practice added Merge PACS and in 2006, its mammography viewing software. Rather than tightening its belt, the practice implemented digital mammography when the DRA went into effect, says Christine Keefe, CFO. “With the cuts, everybody worried about buying new equipment, but it turned out to be a real benefit because it increased our volume and our reimbursement.” The practice also uses productivity measures to improve its service and work distribution. “We have transcriptionists in each location with their own dedicated dictation system,” HealthImaging.com says Keefe. By implementing Merge’s dictation system, the transcriptionists can share the workload. “It has really improved our efficiency.” The practice implemented a new service last June—an onsite results program that lets patients receive results before they leave the office. “Patients love that,” says Keefe. “It’s been a huge program for us that no one else is doing.” PACS has given the practice the efficiency to offer the service, but there have been challenges. Technologists have to spend more time with patients, explaining their results. The radiologists also now have more interaction with patients. By monitoring productivity, Keefe says they can convert exams to exam hours and see how many hours the staff works per day or month or year. “That lets us fine-tune our staffing.” Plus, if there are any complaints over being overworked, “a look at the numbers lets us know if they truly are.” Metro’s volume has grown by 4 percent since beginning the program, but it hasn’t had to hire any additional FTEs—radiologists or technologists. PACS also lets the practice see when some sites are busier than others and even out the workflow between the radiologists. Monitoring is huge, says Keefe. “We’ve done more monitoring of staff productivity than we ever have, from each individual transcriptionist to how many patients each person has scheduled and checked in. We know when to add staff and move people around. I think it is a worthwhile effort.” The last word “To address market demands, especially the impacts of DRA, we must increase our volume or reduce expenses,” says Keefe. “Our biggest expenses are equipment cost and staffing. We won’t reduce staffing, because that could impact patient care. It is difficult to reduce equipment cost, because we have to continue to upgrade equipment to stay competitive and insurance plans are now ‘grading’ us on quality care based on our equipment. So, we must increase volume in a highly competitive market. Because we have a strong PACS, we can increase our throughput without increasing our costs.” Working to increase productivity makes it “easy to forget we’re talking about saving patients’ lives and providing high-quality care,” says Lawson. “As we focus on efficiency, we’re not for a moment letting go of the patient in front of us.” June 2008 | Health Imaging & IT 11 http://HealthImaging.com

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

Health Imaging & IT - June 2008 Contents On The Web The Enterprise News Update Cover Story: Pushing Productivity: How Imaging is Building Efficiency and Cutting Costs Technology Outlook: Imaging Procedures Poised for Growth Great Expectations: PET/CT Delivers SPECT/CT Proving it's Potential MR/PET Holds Promise Good Image Management: Infiltrating Molecular Imaging SNM Preview Modality Review: Mammography’s Next Step: The Dawning of Breast Tomosynthesis Managing Technology: Radiation Oncology: Opening the Doors to IT Reader's Resource Stat Sheet

Health Imaging & IT - June 2008

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