Roversi R, Castaldini L
Servizio di Radiologia Diagnostica, Ospedale Bellaria, USL 29 Bologna-Est, Bologna.
Radiol Med. 1993 Apr;85(4):437-43.
Conventional chest radiographs correspond to 50% of the normal workload of a diagnostic radiology department and account for the lengthening of reporting times, thus affecting the profit of a general hospital deeply. The authors describe a software specifically applied to the reporting of chest X-rays which allows "macro" reports for typical or negative findings and which makes reports by sequential questions for more complex conditions. Its value was investigated based on nearly two years' uninterrupted working experience. During four month 7175 examinations were performed: 6480 (90.3%) in the diagnostic room, plus 685 (9.5%) bedside and emergency exams. Computer-assisted reports amounted to 95% of the total figure in the first group and to 46% in the second one. The results follow: 1) waiting times were substantially reduced; 2) administrative workload was markedly decreased; 3) less expert medical staff greatly benefitted from an efficient didactic and learning activity. Thus, good results were obtained, especially relative to the possibility to obtained actual real-time reports of chest radiographs with no loss in diagnostic accuracy.
