Reinventing Radiology in the Digital Age Part III. Facilities, Work Processes, and Job Responsibilities

Abstract

Advances stemming from the digital age of imaging have positioned radiology on a critical path for the diagnosis of disease and/or treatment of most patients admitted to short-term care hospitals in the United States. This new position for radiology has brought with it a higher expectation from clinicians, who are increasingly dependent on imaging in their practices, and a higher profile with the public. It has also required hospitals and other health care organizations to markedly increase investment in their radiology departments in order to install innovative new digital systems and increase the total capacity for imaging. Hospitals have high expectations for both appropriate returns on their investments and the productive management of the increased institutional resources devoted to radiology. It is important to look critically at the implications of these changing stakeholder expectations and to respond effectively. The management challenge for leaders in radiology is to match the spectacular capabilities of the various new digital and interventional technologies that are transforming radiology with equally creative new ideas and solutions for facility design, work process reengineering, and deployment of a changing radiology “job family” (ie, all the different kinds of jobs in radiology). These new approaches are vitally needed for the success of the next generation of radiology practices and to help assimilate advances in technology in pursuit of increased productivity and quality.