Creating a virtual waiting room with contactless check-in has already saved front-line staff at BMC and YNHH a combined 4,918 phone calls to patients, and provides reassurance to patients who may otherwise be hesitant to come in. Once they are ready to see the patient, a new text message is sent to the patient, inviting them in. Staff are alerted via the Electronic Health Record system that the patient has checked in. No longer do they need to physically congregate in a waiting room – they can now wait in the comfort of their car. Once patients arrive for their appointment, they can check in via text. Patients also go through a digital COVID-19 screening, allowing staff to identify which patients are healthy and willing to receive care while minimizing risk for staff and patients alike. Personalized text messages remind patients of their upcoming exams and make them feel at ease by sharing links to safety protocols and other helpful information.

It’s a problem that has taken on increased urgency in the wake of COVID-19, with hospitals looking for ways to ease patients’ anxiety and safely bring them back in for their radiology appointments.įor Boston Medical Center (BMC) and Yale New Haven Health (YNHH), digitally engaging patients before and after their appointments is helping to involve patients in their care. Patients themselves may suffer the consequences too, as delays in diagnosis and treatment can lead to irrevocable harm. Patient no-shows disrupt workflow, leave staff and equipment underutilized, and may cost an imaging center financial losses of up to $1 million. Missed patient appointments are a constant challenge for radiology departments, with no-show rates as high as 7% for some modalities. Digital engagement keeps patient safe and helps prevent no-shows Let me share seven examples that show how digitization, virtualization, and integration can help create one seamless radiology workflow centered around the patient, for improved efficiency and quality of care.ġ.

But if there’s a silver lining, it’s how radiology services have adapted by finding new ways of connecting people, data, and technology. For certain imaging procedures such as MR and mammography, which declined up to 74-93% in the wake of the pandemic, some imaging centers now face significant patient backlogs, while face-to-face contact is still restricted and safety concerns add to staff stress and patient anxiety. Operational inefficiencies and disconnects weigh heavily on physicians and staff, who want the very best for patients but often find themselves scrambling for information and wasting precious time.ĬOVID-19 has certainly not made things any easier.

It requires a clear view of the bigger picture, as well as a deep understanding of the daily challenges of all the individual stakeholders involved. Managing such a complex and dynamic system can be a daunting task.

Radiology department workflow