IngentaConnect A timemotion study of digital radiography at implementation

Authors: Langlois, S Le P¹; Vytialingam, RC²; Aziz, NA²

Source: Australasian Radiology, Volume 43, Number 2, May 1999 , pp. 201-205(5)

Abstract:

With increasing budgetary restraints on the health system, it is apparent that the main contribution that radiology departments can make to significant cost reduction in hospitals is to decrease the length of time between requesting an X-ray examination and receiving the report (and images). Digital radiography (DR) was introduced into the Radiology Department at the Royal Adelaide Hospital as a pilot project to research the cost-benefits and efficiency of the system, and to determine future directions for planning a digital department. The business plan developed prior to implementation of this pilot project predicted a saving of one bed-day per inpatient when a fully digital department with a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) is installed. This initial study comparing DR and conventional radiography (convR) provides baseline data and shows encouraging results for more rapid transmission of reports to clinicians.

Keywords: cost effectiveness; digital radiography; picture archiving and communication system; time-motion

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1046/j.1440-1673.1999.00634.x

Affiliations: 1: Department of Radiology, Royal Adelaide Hospital and, 2: School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

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A time-motion study of digital radiography at implementation