Impact of a diagnostic workstation on workflow in the emergency department at a level I trauma center

Purpose: When a computed tomography (CT) scan on a patient from the emergency department is completed at University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)-University Hospital, a non-picture archiving and communication system (PACS) environment, formal diagnostic review cannot begin until the images are printed and transported to the an-call radiology resident. The time to reach a final diagnosis has been significantly reduced by the introduction of a single workstation in the on-call reading room. Materials and Methods: Five radiology residents were studied. Each read 10 CT studies on film and 10 on a workstation. After a training period to familiarize the residents with the workstation, measurements were taken of the time required to read the examination and the time required for printing and transporting or networking the images. Results: The average time required to transmit the images was reduced from approximately 40 minutes to 16 minutes. Interpretation times between the workstation and film were comparable. Conclusion: The addition of a single workstation significantly reduces the time required to reach a final diagnosis by obviating the need to print and transport the images to the on-call radiology resident. Such time savings can have a significant impact on the care of trauma patients. Copyright (C) 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.