Use of productivity and financial indicators for monitoring performance in academic radiology departments: U.S. nationwide survey

PURPOSE: To determine how productivity- and finance-related indicators are used by radiology departments to evaluate departmental performance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study met the criteria to be exempt from institutional review board approval. All subjects were informed of the purpose of the study and that their questionnaire responses would be kept confidential. For the study, a survey was sent to 132 members of the Society of Chairmen of Academic Radiology Departments (SCARD) nationwide. The survey was designed to (a) assess organizational information about hospital and radiology departments, (b) determine the types and mean numbers of productivity and financial indicators used by radiology departments, (c) determine how these indicators are used to influence departmental productivity, and (d) assess the reference-standard goals with which each indicator value was compared. A total of 77 variables were studied. Summary statistics, Spearman rank correlation coefficient, and chi2 analyses were performed. RESULTS: The response rate was 42% (55 of 132 surveyed SCARD members). The mean number of productivity indicators used by radiology departments was 4.55 +/- 2.56 (standard deviation), while the mean number of financial indicators used was 2.89 +/- 1.99. Twenty-two (40%) of the 55 responding departments used productivity indicators to monitor and provide feedback to radiologists, hospital leaders, and technical staff members for improved productivity, but only 11 (20%) departments used these indicators to compare personnel performances against specific productivity standards. The most frequent goal (of seven [13%] responding departments) of using the indicators was to increase the examination volume from the previous year by 5%-10%. CONCLUSION: Academic radiology departments across the United States do not use a standardized set of productivity and financial indicators to measure departmental performance. Examination volume is the most frequently used productivity indicator, whereas general expenses are commonly used as indicators of financial status.     

Enterprise imaging: planning and business justification

To evaluate financial performance, academic radiology departments most often measure examination volume and general technical and professional expenses. Although these metrics are not standardized, their frequency of use reflects that productivity and financial health are high priorities for academic radiology departments across the United States. In this article, we discuss both of these topics, in the context of projects to expand services, particularly those with an information technology (IT) component. First, we discuss several informatics innovations that increase productivity or expand service. Second, we explain core financial analysis concepts applicable to radiology departments. Third, we discuss the unique challenge of evaluating a potential IT project for an academic radiology department, when intangible benefits are difficult to quantify. Financial models are only one of several components used for guidance in strategic decisions, but are crucial to building a business case that justifies the initial or capital investment as well as startup and ongoing operational expenses.     

Productivity and quality patient care

Because of the need to control rising U.S. health care costs, managers today not only must focus on their staff and patients, but also on the business aspects of radiology, such as increasing productivity. Balancing productivity with quality patient care is not an easy task--it requires changes by the entire radiology team, including managers, technologists and radiologists. After completing this article, the reader should be able to: Discuss why health care costs continue to rise. Define productivity, how it can be measured and why it must be measured in today's health care settings. Recognize how patient satisfaction contributes to a health care organization's bottom line. Understand the health care team's role in simultaneously increasing productivity and patient satisfaction.     

Effiziente IT-Lösungen in der Radiologie

For hospitals and radiology departments an efficient hospital information system (HIS), a radiology information system (RIS) and a picture archiving system (PACS) with high availability, reliability, flexibility and simple operation are necessary for survival. Besides the networking of patients and pictures data IT systems must also be capable of continuous process optimization in the dimensions of medical quality, service quality and profitability. What is not measurable is not improvable. A successful management demands current, medium-term and long-term indicators for the control. These performance and cost data are also available for benchmarking with other departments or for analysis for manpower requirements. In contrast to the past indicators must now concentrate on the use of resources by interdepartmental process treatment (clinical pathways and imaging pathways). The monitoring of image pathways is a future task. Without qualified IT personnel, optimal IT systems cannot be successful. In the complex treatment processes in hospitals high medical (radiological) quality is only possible in connection with optimal IT systems and excellent IT specialists.     

Pregnancy and maternity leave: AAWR survey results

In 1987 to obtain information regarding pregnancy and maternity leave policies in academic and private radiology departments, the American Association of Women Radiologists (AAWR) surveyed academic and private diagnostic radiology departments and academic radiation oncology departments in the United States and Canada. One hundred thirty-one diagnostic radiology departments and 30 radiation therapy departments responded to the questionnaire. Despite the increasing number of women entering the field of radiology, many departments do not have formal policies. Of those that do, there was a wide range of responses regarding details of maternity leave and duties during pregnancy. The AAWR recommends that every department develop a written pregnancy and maternity leave policy, which should be available to all current and prospective employees.     

Radiology health services research: from imperative to legislative mandate

OBJECTIVE: In the era of health care reform, our value-added to patient care, its corresponding level of reimbursement, and the stature of radiology as a specialty will likely be grounded in the scientific evaluation methods of health services research. CONCLUSION: We need to create more opportunities for training, provide resources and incentives for the brightest candidates to enter this field, and cultivate enriching environments for health services research in all academic radiology departments.     

Relative value units: practical productivity measurement

The relative value system of measuring productivity can be an effective measurement tool for radiology administrators if properly designed and implemented. Since the financial future of the health care industry continues to dominate both private and public agendas, qualitative measurements of health care delivery alone will not suffice. Even if the relative value system is not the ultimate panacea for evaluating productivity, it is at least one reasonable method of attempting to address the issue of quantitative measurement of radiology services. This article will introduce relative value units (RVUs) as a practical method of measuring productivity in the radiology department.     

National radiology fellowship match program: success or failure?

In early 2003, with strong support from radiology leaders, the first national fellowship match was conducted in radiology. Most programs (358 programs in 9 categories) in the country participated, and 411 positions were filled out of 769 available in the match. Residents who selected to stay at their home departments were chosen before the match. A survey was conducted after the match to assess the satisfaction of chairpersons, program directors, and residents. Overall, the match was rated a success. However, a number of the pediatric fellowship programs remained outside of the match, possibly threatening its future. The initial radiology fellowship match that involved all fellowship specialties was deemed by residents and program leaders to be an overall success. Future matches will attempt to deal with such issues as incomplete participation. A significant problem is the continuing excess of offered fellowship positions over the number of applicants.     

Motivation and productivity in the radiology department.

The successful motivation of employees is often seen as a way to reach a maximum level of productivity. The authors attempt to identify the components of personal motivation, define motivation theories, and explore motivation strategies that can be utilized in a radiology department. The purpose is to discover the relationship between motivation and increased productivity. The authors also examine productivity measurement systems currently being used in radiology departments.     

Radiology and the Cancer Services Collaborative--an opportunity awaits

The principles and methodologies used by the Cancer Services Collaborative (CSC) are particularly relevant for radiology departments. A radiology project looking at the provision of barium enema examinations is used to highlight how the principles can be applied to a radiology department. Advice on how to access available CSC literature is offered. The CSC principles and methodologies are an important part of the NHS modernization agenda, and offer an exciting vehicle to improve patient care. It is important that radiologists understand the opportunities offered and the challenges posed by the modernization agenda.     

The Value-Added Services of Hospital-Based Radiology Groups

The authors discuss the ways in which a single, cohesive, on-site radiology group adds value to both the processes of patient care and the success of the hospital. The value-added services fall into 6 categories: (1) patient safety, (2) quality of the images, (3) quality of the interpretations, (4) service to patients and referring physicians, (5) cost containment, and (6) helping build the hospital's business. If the hospital allows its radiology department to become fragmented by the intrusion of other specialists or teleradiology companies in remote locations, most of these added values would be lost, and chaos could ensue.     

Radiology operations: what you don't know could be costing you millions

Rapid growth in advanced imaging procedures has left hospital radiology departments struggling to keep up with demand, resulting in loss of patients to facilities that can offer service more quickly. While the departments appear to be working at full capacity, an operational analysis of over 400 hospital radiology departments in the US by GE Healthcare has determined that, paradoxically, many departments are in fact underutilized and operating for below their potential capacity. While CT cycle time in hospitals that were studied averaged 35 minutes, top performing hospitals operated the same equipment at a cycle time of 15 minutes, yielding approximately double the throughput volume. Factors leading to suboptimal performance include accounting metrics that mask true performance, leadership focus on capital investment rather than operations, under staffing, under scheduling, poorly aligned incentives, a fragmented view of operations, lack of awareness of latent opportunities, and lack of sufficient skills and processes to implement improvements. The study showed how modest investments in radiology operations can dramatically improve access to services and profitability.     

Emergency radiology in Canada: a national survey.

OBJECTIVE: To document the existing radiology services available to emergency physicians in hospitals across Canada and to preview future trends and needs. METHODS: Questionnaires (n = 130) regarding the type, availability and satisfaction with radiology services were distributed to radiologists and emergency physicians at 65 hospitals across Canada. RESULTS: Fifty-three (41%) questionnaires were returned, and 45 (35%) completed questionnaires from 35 hospitals were used for analysis (24 from radiologists and 21 from emergency physicians). Plain radiographs were available in all hospitals at all times. Ultrasonography, intravenous pyleograms and computed tomography (CT) were available in all departments during normal working hours; after hours, CT was unavailable in 1 hospital and ultrasonography was unavailable in 2. Focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) was routinely performed for blunt abdominal trauma in 6 centres, and 10 centres had teleradiology services. Regarding the quality of emergency service, 7 of 45 responded "poor," 4 "average," 14 "good," and 17 of 45 rated service "excellent." Interestingly, most radiologists answered "good" or "excellent," and most of the "poor" responses came from emergency physicians. Regarding staff coverage after 5 pm, 34 hospitals provided CT services, 20 had ultrasonography staff available, and there was radiology nursing coverage in 14 hospitals. Clinical details on requisitions were generally rated "adequate" or "poor." Although most radiograph reports were available within 48 hours, some took longer. Hot-seat reporting was available in 11 centres. During normal working hours, radiologists were the first to read films in 5 of 35 hospitals. After hours, emergency physicians were the first to read films in all hospitals, but only 14 hospitals indicated they were "formally" trained to do so. CONCLUSION: This survey documents the strengths and weaknesses of the radiology services available to emergency physicians. The perceptions of emergency physicians and radiologists of the adequacy those services differ significantly.     

Radiology workload system for diagnostic radiology.

A unit measurement system for diagnostic radiology has been prepared. The basic data were collected in fifteen small, medium and large sized Canadian hospitals. Detailed measurements were made of the technologists' time for performing radiographic examinations. Analysis of work activity established the time contribution for each category of support staff. The basic data were tested in a field trial of 42 Canadian hospitals and found to be reliable. Comparisons with other systems, particularly in Finland and Scotland, revealed a great similarity of results. A method of productivity analysis was developed. The study will be likely to form the basis for national reporting of work in Canadian radiology departments.     

Scheduling: if your RIS cannot, perhaps your HIS can

As the services radiology departments provide have proliferated--new modalities, additional procedures--the scheduling process has become more complex. Radiology departments have been criticized by referring physicians and their staff for difficulties they encounter when scheduling patients for procedures. In light of managed care and increased competition for outpatient services, scheduling systems should be designed with the referring physician's office as the prime customer. Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) has devised a collaborative, hospital-wide system for scheduling. The same system is used by The Vanderbilt Clinics, which refer a significant number of outpatient procedures to VUMC. The radiology department has tailored the system to its technical requirements, and clinic staff members can access the system directly to schedule patient appointments. Minor adjustments were made during implementation of the process. Now, appointments are made efficiently by the clinic staff, and other systems, such as the film library, are benefiting from better information and organization. VUMC has changed the scheduling process of the radiology department to reach the customers who actually promote the radiology practice. Communication between the department and the clinics has improved and a spirit of teamwork is growing.     

How to improve the quality of patient care and still save money in the radiology department.

1, A pediatric radiology department at an institution such as Minneapolis Children's Medical Center is a true microcosm of the gigantic radiology department of a general hospital. Our positive experiences with IMACS discussed above should be even more profound and profitable for the larger medical institutions. 2, IMACS did improve service and communications among radiologists, referring clinicians and the hospital staff. Both the old and new images needed for review and comparison are presently available for the clinicians on the nursing stations as soon as the current studies have been completed. 3, IMACS allowed us to reduce the number of films lost, misplaced or misfiled and reduced the interpretation delays by keeping all the films in the radiology department. This has resulted in improvement in the overall productivity of the radiology staff and the referring clinicians. 4, The cost of IMACS was paid for through additional revenue capture, increased productivity and a decrease in the expenses in the radiology department in less than one year. These benefits should continue for several more years without the need for any additional expenses. 5, Despite these initial successes, there are several issues which must be addressed before total computerization of the radiology services and a "filmless" radiology department can be created. A. The speed of an available workstation is totally inadequate for the day to day clinical use.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The current status of faculty staffing and resident training in emergency radiology. Results of a survey

The results of a survey of United States and Canadian radiology residency programs in hospitals maintaining major emergency departments indicate that (1) radiologic faculty assignment to emergency medicine may include "all faculty," "specific faculty," "specific and other faculty," "general," and "musculoskeletal" faculty; (2) a chief of emergency radiology section is designated in less than 35% of radiology departments providing emergency room services; (3) radiology resident rotation in emergency radiology occurs in less than 2/3 of the surveyed programs; and (4) radiology resident experience in emergency radiology ranges from two to 16 weeks in 40% of these programs, the remainder being "unspecified." The effect of this circumstance upon the emergency department patient care and resident teaching in emergency radiology is discussed and remedial suggestions presented.     

Key financial indicators and ratios: How to use them for success in your practice

Accounting and finance are not typically a core educational offering in medical education. However, for physician leaders and leaders-in-grooming, it is prudent to be familiar with key financial indicators and ratios. The purpose of this review article is to provide fundamental information for emerging radiology physician leaders by describing important financial indicators and ratios, how they are defined and calculated, and, most importantly, how they can be interpreted and utilized for improving practice performance.Summary sentenceUnderstanding and implementing key financial ratios and indicators is important to maintain and improve financial performance in radiology practices.     

Motivation and compensation in academic radiology

As radiologists are increasingly faced with the challenges of rising demand for imaging services and staff shortages, the implementation of incentive plans in radiology is gaining importance. A key factor to be considered while developing an incentive plan is the strategic goal of the department. In academic radiology, management should decide whether it will reward research and teaching productivity in addition to clinical productivity. Various models have been suggested for incentive plans based on (1) clinical productivity, (2) multifactor productivity, (3) individual productivity, (4) section productivity, and (5) chair’s discretion. Although fiscal rewards are most common, managers should consider other incentives, such as research time, resources for research, vacation time, and recognition awards, because academic radiologists may be motivated by factors other than financial gains.