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Seghers MC, Seghers VJ, Sher AC, Jadhav SP, States LJ, Trout AT, Alazraki AL, Sammer MBK. Working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic: surveys of the Society for Pediatric Radiology and the Society of Chiefs of Radiology at Children's Hospitals. Pediatr Radiol 2022; 52:1242-1254. [PMID: 35229184 PMCID: PMC8885321 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-022-05299-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 12/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some pediatric radiologists have shifted to working from home; the long-term ramifications for pediatric radiologists and departments have not yet been defined. OBJECTIVE To characterize experiences of working from home associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and guide expectations after the pandemic is controlled, via separate surveys of Society for Pediatric Radiology (SPR) and Society of Chiefs of Radiology at Children's Hospitals (SCORCH) members. MATERIALS AND METHODS Two separate surveys were conducted. In the first, SPR members were surveyed Jan. 11 through Feb. 8, 2021. The response rate was 17.0% (255 of 1,501). Survey questions included demographics, information on the ability to work from home and subjective experiences ranked on a scale of 0 to 10. The survey enabled segregation and comparison of responses between those with and without home PACS. In the second survey, SCORCH members were surveyed Dec. 8, 2020, through Jan. 8, 2021. The response rate was 51.5% (51/99). Survey questions included the logistics of working from home, technical specifications and the expectations on clinical duties performed from home. The Wilcoxon rank test was used to determine statistical significance of compared variables between respondents with and without home PACS in SPR members, and expectations between SPR and SCORCH members. Descriptive statistics summarized demographic questions and free text responses. RESULTS The majority of member respondents (81.2%, 207/255) had a home PACS and most departments provided home PACS to faculty (94.1%, 48/51). Overall, radiologists who could work from home were satisfied with their ability to work from home (mean rating: 8.3/10) and were significantly more satisfied than predicted by those without home PACS (5.9/10, P<0.0001). Respondents overwhelmingly indicated they were less able to teach trainees (mean rating: 2.7/10) and had decreased emotional engagement (mean rating: 4.4/10), but had improved research productivity and cognitive ability for research when working from home (mean rating for both: 5.3/10). Regarding the expectations of the ability to work from home after no longer needing to address the pandemic, department chairs generally favored fewer rotations from home, with 97.9% (47/48) indicating working from home should be 60% or fewer assignments, compared with 84.1% (164/195) of individual radiologists (P=0.071). CONCLUSIONS Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a shift to working from home using PACS. Results of these SPR and SCORCH member surveys can help inform future decisions regarding pediatric radiologists working from home once the pandemic has been controlled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C. Seghers
- grid.89336.370000 0004 1936 9924Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA
| | - Victor J. Seghers
- grid.416975.80000 0001 2200 2638Edward B. Singleton Department of Radiology, Texas Children’s Hospital, 6701 Fannin Street, Suite 470, 77030 Houston, TX USA ,grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XDepartment of Radiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA
| | - Andrew C. Sher
- grid.416975.80000 0001 2200 2638Edward B. Singleton Department of Radiology, Texas Children’s Hospital, 6701 Fannin Street, Suite 470, 77030 Houston, TX USA ,grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XDepartment of Radiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA
| | - Siddharth P. Jadhav
- grid.416975.80000 0001 2200 2638Edward B. Singleton Department of Radiology, Texas Children’s Hospital, 6701 Fannin Street, Suite 470, 77030 Houston, TX USA ,grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XDepartment of Radiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA
| | - Lisa J. States
- grid.239552.a0000 0001 0680 8770Department of Radiology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA USA ,grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Andrew T. Trout
- grid.239573.90000 0000 9025 8099Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH USA ,grid.24827.3b0000 0001 2179 9593Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH USA
| | - Adina L. Alazraki
- grid.428158.20000 0004 0371 6071Department of Radiology, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA USA ,grid.189967.80000 0001 0941 6502Department of Radiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Marla B. K. Sammer
- grid.416975.80000 0001 2200 2638Edward B. Singleton Department of Radiology, Texas Children’s Hospital, 6701 Fannin Street, Suite 470, 77030 Houston, TX USA ,grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XDepartment of Radiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA
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Bashshur RL, Krupinski EA, Thrall JH, Bashshur N. The Empirical Foundations of Teleradiology and Related Applications: A Review of the Evidence. Telemed J E Health 2016; 22:868-898. [PMID: 27585301 PMCID: PMC5107673 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2016.0149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/10/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Radiology was founded on a technological discovery by Wilhelm Roentgen in 1895. Teleradiology also had its roots in technology dating back to 1947 with the successful transmission of radiographic images through telephone lines. Diagnostic radiology has become the eye of medicine in terms of diagnosing and treating injury and disease. This article documents the empirical foundations of teleradiology. METHODS A selective review of the credible literature during the past decade (2005-2015) was conducted, using robust research design and adequate sample size as criteria for inclusion. FINDINGS The evidence regarding feasibility of teleradiology and related information technology applications has been well documented for several decades. The majority of studies focused on intermediate outcomes, as indicated by comparability between teleradiology and conventional radiology. A consistent trend of concordance between the two modalities was observed in terms of diagnostic accuracy and reliability. Additional benefits include reductions in patient transfer, rehospitalization, and length of stay.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - James H. Thrall
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Noura Bashshur
- University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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