Prospective randomized study of contrast reaction management curricula: Computer-based interactive simulation versus high-fidelity hands-on simulation

Purpose

We developed a computer-based interactive simulation program for teaching contrast reaction management to radiology trainees and compared its effectiveness to high-fidelity hands-on simulation training.

Materials and methods

IRB approved HIPAA compliant prospective study of 44 radiology residents, fellows and faculty who were randomized into either the high-fidelity hands-on simulation group or computer-based simulation group. All participants took separate written tests prior to and immediately after their intervention. Four months later participants took a delayed written test and a hands-on high-fidelity severe contrast reaction scenario performance test graded on predefined critical actions.

Results

There was no statistically significant difference between the computer and hands-on groups’ written pretest, immediate post-test, or delayed post-test scores (p > 0.6 for all). Both groups’ scores improved immediately following the intervention (p < 0.001). The delayed test scores 4 months later were still significantly higher than the pre-test scores (p ≤ 0.02). The computer group's performance was similar to the hands-on group on the severe contrast reaction simulation scenario test (p = 0.7). There were also no significant differences between the computer and hands-on groups in performance on the individual core competencies of contrast reaction management during the contrast reaction scenario.

Conclusion

It is feasible to develop a computer-based interactive simulation program to teach contrast reaction management. Trainees that underwent computer-based simulation training scored similarly on written tests and on a hands-on high-fidelity severe contrast reaction scenario performance test as those trained with hands-on high-fidelity simulation.     

Cost analysis of equipment failure of a radiology department and possible choices about maintenance

PURPOSE: Our aim was to evaluate the economic impact of equipment failures in a radiology department with a view to guiding maintenance policy decisions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We assessed the negative economic impact caused by the interruption of activity of a radiodiagnostics section due to equipment failure, taking into account: the effects occurring during the first day of equipment down-time (assuming that the equipment failure occurs in the middle of the shift) and the effects during the following days until the repair of the failure; the effects occurring in the short- and long-term. To exemplify the negative impact of inactivity due to equipment failure, we chose three radiology sections with different levels of technological and operational complexity (chest radiology, gastrointestinal radiology and remote-controlled diagnostics). For each, we evaluated the loss of contribution margin and the idle capacity costs (short- and long-term impact). RESULTS: The negative economic effects were: for thoracic radiology, 496,77 Euro in the first day, and 30,99 Euro from the second day onwards; for gastrointestinal radiology, 526,40 Euro for the first day, and 730,39 Euro from the second day onwards; for remote-controlled diagnostics, 786,25 Euro for the first day, and 927,67 Euro from the second days onwards. DISCUSSION: Our results indicate that the level of idle capacity costs (mainly equipment and staff) increases with the complexity of the equipment, whereas the contribution margin appears to fluctuate, because the charges are state-imposed and do not vary with the complexity of equipment. Moreover, our analysis shows that if the workload of a broken machine can easily be assigned to an additional shift using another machine, losses are considerably reduced from the second day onwards. Once the negative economic impact of equipment failures has been evaluated, the second step is to choose the best kind of maintenance. CONCLUSIONS: A sound calculation of the economic impact of equipment failures is very useful for guiding the head of department and the hospital manager in deciding whether to purchase maintenance services (or a long-term guarantee) from the equipment manufacturer, to set up an auxiliary centre for maintenance and repair, or to purchase a third-party maintenance contract.     

Gadolinium-based contrast agents in angiography and interventional radiology

Gadolinium is useful as an alternative contrast agent for diagnostic angiographic and interventional procedures in patients with renal insufficiency or a history of a severe reaction to iodinated contrast material. Gadolinium usually is used as a "problem solver" to answer specific diagnostic questions or guide interventional procedures that cannot adequately be defined with CO2 angiography. Because of dose limitations with Gd, careful planning is required prior to its use with angiography or interventional procedures.     

Costs and benefits of low-osmolality contrast agents in radiology

We have examined the costs and benefits associated with the introduction of low-osmolality contrast agents into general radiology. The result is a cost of $2,000,000 to save a life and $100,000 to save a year-of-life if it is assumed that these agents are ten times safer than conventional contrast agents in terms of fatality rates. These values are comparable to the costs of saving a life, and a year-of-life, associated with radiation protection practice, but appear to be over an order of magnitude higher than the corresponding costs in contexts such as mammography screening programs. Cost-benefit analysis provides a useful insight into medical decision making when available resources are limited. It raises the important question of whether society at large is allocating sufficient resources to health care.     

The business of radiology: Cost accounting

Radiology practices confront questions of resource allocation every day. Unfortunately, practices frequently fail to adequately analyze revenues and expenses, which are at the heart of success or failure in any business endeavor. Cost allocation problems permeate nearly all aspects of cost analysis and accumulation and exist throughout all types of private-sector and public-sector organizations. “Managerial” or “cost” accounting is the discipline concerned with measuring and assigning the costs of delivering services or producing products. In contrast to financial accounting, management accounting produces relevant information for internal decision making and in general is designed to answer a firm’s specific operational questions. Because costs play such a critical role in deriving and planning for revenues and profits, managerial accounting is in large part devoted to measuring and accumulating costs with the aims of control and continuous cost reduction. Because radiologists’ salaries are at record highs, when accounting for a practice’s clinical activities, such as the provision of mammography services, some allocation of radiologist costs themselves must be made, or the practice will not be able to achieve its goal of efficient allocation of resources. Whatever cost-accounting method is used should be specific enough to allow the differentiation of costs to as detailed a level as necessary for the strategic decision at hand. It is imperative that a practice use some rational method to gather and analyze costs and that management then use these data in decision making. Successful practices will be those most aware of their costs and the minimum acceptable reimbursements necessary for their success.     

Enhancing pediatric safety: using simulation to assess radiology resident preparedness for anaphylaxis from intravenous contrast media

PURPOSE: To prospectively develop and test a simulation model for assessing radiology resident preparedness for pediatric life-threatening events in the radiology environment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was institutional review board approved. Nineteen radiology residents (10 men, nine women; mean age, 28.5 years) participated in two simulated contrast material reaction scenarios: one with and one without resuscitation aids available. Each resident examined and managed two mannequins-simulating a 1-2-year-old patient and an 8-9-year-old patient-for type, sequence, dose, and administration route for any intervention, including administering medication, calling a code team, and providing oxygen. The time to order each intervention was documented. Resident responses (time to order intervention, appropriateness of intervention, and intervention route) were evaluated. The paired t test was used to compare the time to intervention between the resuscitation-aid-available and resuscitation-aid-not-available scenarios and between the scenario performed first and the scenario performed second. The McNemar test was performed to compare the percentage of appropriate interventions between the two resuscitation aid scenarios. RESULTS: The average time to call the code team was shorter when no resuscitation aids were available than when resuscitation aids were available (98 vs 149 seconds, P=.08). The average times to request oxygen and epinephrine were shorter when resuscitation aids were available (40 vs 89 seconds to request oxygen, P=.016; 121 vs 163 seconds to request epinephrine, P=.21). Appropriate medication dosing was not significantly different between the two scenarios. In only five of the 38 simulated scenarios was calling the code team the first intervention. The correct sequence of interventions (calling code team, providing oxygen, and then providing epinephrine) was performed by only one resident in one scenario. Only five residents recognized that they were encountering a contrast material reaction. CONCLUSION: Simulation training for radiology residents is valuable and suggests that resident preparedness for pediatric anaphylaxis from intravenous contrast media is insufficient. Clear step-by-step resuscitation aids are needed in the radiology environment.     

The use of simulation in radiology

The aim of this study is to analyze how simulation has been used in healthcare (radiology, in particular) to predict the outcome of work practice changes. This is a literature study concerning different simulation models as a planning tool prior to changes in work practice. The radiology organization is in a transformation process. There is a lack of existing literature addressing ways to predict or imagine new technology in the context of its use in radiology work practice. Yet, studies also illustrate that data collection and mining is an excellent investment in understanding complex systems and how simulation models can be applied for change in radiology. If changes in work practices are a result of changing ourselves and the way we think about our work, simulation could be a technique to help the individual understand changes in the healthcare process.     

Revised curriculum on cardiothoracic radiology for diagnostic radiology residency with goals and objectives related to general competencies

This document is a revision of a previously published cardiothoracic curriculum for diagnostic radiology residency, and reflects interval changes in the clinical practice of cardiothoracic radiology and changes in the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requirements for diagnostic radiology training programs. The revised ACGME Program Requirements for Residency Education in Diagnostic Radiology went into effect December 2003.