Radiology Department And Its Channel Of Communications

Session Description

The Radiographer and the X-ray Department

• At the end of this unit, students should be able to:
• Describe the radiographer’s code of professional conduct
• Explain the departmental records and their importance in the x-ray department
• Discuss the importance of appointment procedures and minimizing the patient waiting time.

The Radiographer’s Code of Professional Conduct / Responsibility

• The radiographer has three major responsibilities to a patient:
• (a) Clinical responsibility
• Ethical responsibility

Legal responsibility

1. Clinical Responsibility:

• Personal qualities
• Sympathetic
• Understanding
• Cheerful
• Interested in the patient
• Appearing qualities

• Clean and tidy
• Caring

Clinical responsibility (2)

• Communicating qualities:
• Addressing patients by names and portfolios

Be friendly

• (e) Performance qualities
• Knowledge
• Skills
• Attitude

2. Ethical Responsibility:

Ethics is the science of human duty in its widest extent.

Radiographer in ethics must understand that he/she has both a human need and a professional obligation. He/she has to believe that:

• Human life is worth saving
• Conditions of our fellows are worth alleviating

Human rights exist

Thus radiographers must ask themselves: Do these problems apply to ourselves? We most of the time deal with patients and thus:

• We make decisions about patients

2. Ethical Responsibility (2):

• We undertake upon them procedures which potentially can have far- reaching effects on their lives and well being.
• Radiographers have to know that they have two special legal elements:
• Description of speech absolute necessity not
• to reveal information about patients
• Radiation hazard – to give the smallest dose

which is necessary.

3. Legal responsibility:

• When something has gone wrong during your work in the following areas.
• The Radiographer and the hospital:
• The patient and the staff
• Management aspect – Radiologist/ Radiographer

Code of ethics for the Radiographer

• Definition – They are commandments of the radiographers’ work

Contents

• The radiographer shall conduct him/herself in a manner compatible with the dignity of the profession
• The radiographer shall provide services with consideration of human dignity and the uniqueness of the patient, unrestricted by considerations of age, sex, race, creed, social or economic status, handicap, personal attributes or the nature of the health problem.

Code of ethics for the Radiographer (2)

• The radiographer shall make every effort to protect all patients from unnecessary radiations
• The radiographer should exercise and accept responsibility for independent discretion and judgment in the performance of his/her professional services.
• The radiographer shall judicially protect the patient’s right to privacy and shall maintain all patient information in the strictest confidence
• The radiographer shall apply only methods of technology founded upon a scientific basis and not accept those methods of technology that violate this principle

Code of ethics for the Radiographer (3)

• The radiographer shall not diagnose. In recognition of their responsibility to the patient, they shall provide the physician with all information they have relative to radiological diagnosis or patient management.
• The radiographer shall be responsible for reporting unethical conduct and illegal professional activities to the appropriate authorities.
• The radiographer should continually strive to improve their knowledge and skills by participating in educational and professional activities sharing the benefits of their attainments with their colleagues.
• The radiographer should protect the public from misinformation and misrepresentation.

Departmental Records

Meaning:

Departmental records are information regarding any activity pertaining to medical care services given to patients and all other activities carried out in the hospital department such as the radiology and imaging department. Health records are permanent or long lasting documents of all patient care information that applies to an individual.

Standards for the maintenance and the adequacy of health records have been established by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health care Organization (JCAHO). These standards have been established as a part of information management standards for the hospital operations.

Departmental Records (2)

• Departmental records

Are health information stored or kept in the department.

The patient care information in the department can be stored in either paper based or computer based (hard copy or in miniaturized, ‘’microfilmed’’ or computerized form) The department has been organized and staffed to provide adequate record management, system and practices that facilitate the use of health records and protect the content of the record against unauthorized disclosure.

Departmental records (3)

The radiology order or request for services may include the following;

Patient demographic information (i.e. name, number, other identifying information) along with procedure being requested.

• Identification of the physician ordering the procedure.

Results of the procedure are documented (therapeutic and nuclear)

General Health Record Content – As Per JCAHO Standards

The health record must contain sufficient information to identify the patient, support the diagnosis, justify the treatment, document the course and results and facilitate the continuity of care.

Briefly, the standards for inpatient records require that the records should include the following information:

Patient identification data

Medical history of the patient which includes chief complaints, present illness or injury, relevant past, family and social histories and inventory of body systems.

• Report of relevant physical examination

Diagnostic and therapeutic orders

General Health Record Content – As Per JCAHO Standards (2)

The importance of records

Transmission of information effectively among all health care profession involved in the care of the patient as well as continuity patient care.

Services oriented and support the optimal standards set forth for quality of care and services in the department Maintenance of health information provide storage and ready retrieval of clinical information by patient name or number.

The Importance of Records (2)

• Patient administrative process
• Helps in medical education program
• Used for health services research
• Helps in utilization management
• Used in risk management
• Used in quality assurance programs

Can be used for legal requirement

The Medical Records in Radiology

Before any radiological procedure is done, a radiology order or request must be completed. This includes the patient demographic information (name, medical record number of the hospital and other identification information, clinical history and specific problem the patient has and the physician who is ordering the procedure.

This full information is typically sent to the x-ray department by the hospital system e.g. by means of computerized information system etc.

Then the x-ray department enters all information into the x-ray record ledger book to describe all the procedures that have been done including the results of the diagnosis.

Patient Records Using PACS and HIS

Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) and Hospital Information System (HIS) are separate systems in the healthcare industry. PACS are used to store and transport patient medical images securely A hospital information system (HIS) is a comprehensive informatics system that manages the medical, administrative, financial, and legal aspects of a hospital. Integrating the information and workflow of these systems promotes efficiency, accuracy, and time savings and ultimately leads to better patient care.

Patient Records Using PACS and HIS (2)

A picture archiving and communication system (PACS) is a medical imaging technology which provides economical storage and convenient access to images from multiple modalities (source machine types).Electronic images and reports are transmitted digitally via PACS; this eliminates the need to manually file, retrieve, or transport film jackets, the folders used to store and protect X-ray film. The universal format for PACS image storage and transfer is DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine).

The Importance of Patient Records In The X-ray Department

• To keep the records of patients in the x-ray department
• To estimate the workload of the x-ray department for each day/week/month/year
• To assist in making budget for the departmental stock of requirements

To verify the revenue collections

The Importance of Appointment Procedures and Minimizing the Patient Waiting Time.

Patient scheduling is a vital process in the healthcare industry that enables medical practices and clinics to efficiently manage patient appointments. It involves the use of a scheduling system to book and manage appointments for patients, including initial consultations, follow-up visits, and medical procedures.

Appointment should be done based on the type and conditions of patients i.e. very sick patients should be served first (diabetic patients, traffic accidents patients ), Special examinations should be well planed to suit the type of examination and conveniences of the x-ray department.

Why Is Patient Scheduling So Important?

Timely and appropriate care: Patient scheduling ensures that patients receive timely and appropriate medical care, which is essential for their health and well-being. A delay in receiving medical attention can exacerbate health conditions, leading to more severe health outcomes. Efficient patient scheduling ensures that patients receive care when they need it, reducing the risk of complications and improving health outcomes.

Resource optimization: Patient scheduling helps healthcare providers optimize their resources, including the availability of healthcare providers and facilities. By scheduling appointments efficiently, providers can reduce wait times and ensure that resources are used effectively, improving the quality of care.

Why Is Patient Scheduling So Important (2)?

Patient satisfaction: Efficient patient scheduling helps improve the patient experience, which is critical for patient satisfaction and loyalty. A scheduling system that is easy to use and allows patients to book and manage appointments conveniently can help improve patient satisfaction and loyalty.

Administrative efficiency: Patient scheduling systems can help healthcare providers streamline administrative tasks, such as appointment reminders and confirmations, which can improve patient adherence to appointments and reduce no-shows. Additionally, scheduling systems can help providers manage patient wait times, which is a critical factor in patient satisfaction and experience.

The 6 Best Patient Appointment Scheduling Practices

• Implement Patient Self-Scheduling

Is a best practice for efficient patient appointment scheduling. Patients are progressively searching for easier methods to get healthcare services as technology has advanced. Patient self-scheduling is an effective way to meet patient expectations while streamlining scheduling processes for healthcare providers.

One of the main benefits of patient self-scheduling is improved patient satisfaction.

The 6 Best Patient Appointment Scheduling Practices (2)

Healthcare professionals do provide patients with the option to schedule visits at their own pace by allowing them to make appointments online. Patients no longer need to call or visit the healthcare provider’s office, which can save them time and reduce frustration.

Another benefit of patient self-scheduling is increased patient access to care. Patients who may have difficulty accessing healthcare services due to geographical or scheduling limitations can benefit from the convenience of online scheduling. This can increase patient retention and attract new patients to the practice.

2. Prioritize Appointments

Prioritizing appointments is a best practice for efficient patient appointment scheduling in healthcare. By prioritizing appointments, healthcare providers can ensure that patients receive timely and appropriate care while maximizing the use of healthcare resources.

One of the key factors in prioritizing appointments is the medical urgency of the patient’s condition. Patients with urgent medical needs should receive priority scheduling to ensure they receive timely care. Patients in extreme pain, injuries, or acute diseases who require quick treatment fall under this category.

Radiology Department And Its Channel Of Communications

Another consideration in prioritizing appointments is the complexity of the patient’s medical needs. Patients with more complex medical needs may require longer appointments or multiple appointments to address all of their healthcare concerns. By prioritizing these appointments appropriately, healthcare providers can ensure that patients receive the appropriate level of care while avoiding unnecessary delays.

3. Create an Automated Patient Wait List

An Automated Patient Wait List is a modern and efficient solution that can revolutionize the way healthcare facilities manage their patients’ appointments. With this system, patients can be added to a digital waitlist that automatically updates and notifies them of any changes in their appointment status. This approach eliminates the need for manual tracking and reduces the likelihood of errors or miscommunication.

To create an automated patient wait list, healthcare facilities will need to implement a specialized software application that can manage the waitlist efficiently. This application will need to be designed to integrate with the facility’s existing electronic health record system and appointment scheduling software.

…

The first step in creating an automated patient wait list is to define the process for adding patients to the list. This may involve adding patients who have requested an appointment but cannot be scheduled immediately, or those who need to reschedule an appointment. Whenever a patient no longer requires an appointment, the software should enable them to remove their name from the backlog.

Once the patients are added to the waitlist, the software will automatically track their status and notify them of any changes. For example, if a patient is moved to an earlier appointment time, the software will automatically send them a notification to confirm the new time. Similarly, if a patient’s appointment is cancelled, the software will notify them and remove them from the waitlist.

4. Confirm Appointments with Text and Email

Confirming appointments with text and email is an efficient and effective way to reduce no-shows and ensure that patients attend their scheduled appointments. This approach provides patients with a convenient way to confirm their appointment, which can help them remember the date and time of their visit.

To confirm appointments with text and email, healthcare facilities can implement a software application that integrates with their appointment scheduling system. This software automatically sends out a text or mail notification to patients just a few days ahead of their scheduled appointment.

Radiology Department And Its Channel Of Communications

The SMS and mail notifications/reminders must include the initial appointment time, date, and address, in addition to a link or contact details to check their attendance. Patients can easily respond to the message by clicking on the link or calling the provided phone number. Once the patient confirms their attendance, the software will update their appointment status in the scheduling system

5. Use automated outreach, follow-up, and recall for patients

Automated patient outreach, follow-up, and recall are modern solutions that can enhance patient engagement and improve the overall quality of care provided by healthcare facilities. This approach uses specialized software applications to automate patient outreach, recare, and recall processes, making it easier for healthcare providers to stay in touch with their patients and ensure they receive the care they need.

Automated patient outreach entails calling patients to notify them of the scheduled appointments or to give them essential health information. Healthcare facilities can use this approach to keep their patients informed and engaged, which can improve overall health outcomes. Automated outreach can be done through a variety of channels, including email, text messages, and phone calls.

6. Automate Responses to Routine Questions

Automating responses to routine questions is an efficient way for healthcare facilities to improve their patient communication and reduce the workload of their staff. By automating responses, healthcare facilities can respond quickly and accurately to common questions, freeing up staff to focus on more complex and urgent patient needs.

Automating responses to routine questions also provides healthcare facilities with valuable data on patient inquiries and engagement. By analyzing this data, healthcare providers can identify areas where they need to improve their communication strategies and make informed decisions on how to optimize their resources to better serve their patients.

Evaluation:

• What are the three radiographer’s code of professional conduct?
• Explain the departmental records and their importance in the x-ray department
• Discuss the importance of appointment procedures and minimizing the patient waiting time.