Effect of filmless imaging on the utilization of radiologic services.

Autor:	Reiner BI; Department of Radiology, Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA., Siegel EL, Flagle C, Hooper FJ, Cox RE, Scanlon M
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Radiology [Radiology] 2000 Apr; Vol. 215 (1), pp. 163-7.
DOI:	10.1148/radiology.215.1.r00ap41163
Abstrakt:	Purpose: To determine the effect of a large-scale picture archiving and communication system (PACS) on in- and outpatient utilization of radiologic services. Materials and Methods: Data were collected at the Baltimore Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center (BVAMC) before and after implementation of an enterprise-wide PACS; the numbers and types of imaging examinations performed for fiscal years 1993 and 1996 were evaluated. These data were compared with those from a similar academic medical center, the Philadelphia VA Medical Center (PVAMC), and with aggregate data obtained nationally for all VA hospitals over comparable periods. Results: Inpatient utilization, defined as the number of examinations per inpatient day, increased by 82% (from 0.265 to 0.483 examinations per patient day) after a transition to filmless operation at BVAMC. This is substantially greater than the increases of 38% (from 0.263 to 0.362 examinations per patient day) and 11% (from 0.190 to 0.211 examinations per patient day) at the film-based PVAMC and nationally, respectively. Outpatient utilization, defined as the number of examinations per visit, increased by 21% (from 0.108 to 0.131 examinations per visit) at BVAMC, compared with a 1% increase (from 0.087 to 0.088 examinations per visit) at PVAMC and a net decrease of 19% (from 0. 148 to 0.120 examinations per visit) nationally. Conclusion: The transition to filmless operation was associated with increases in inpatient and outpatient utilization of radiologic services, which substantially exceeded changes at PVAMC and nationally over the same interval.
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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