[X-rays taken by radiologists! Influence on a continuous quality improvement process?]

Interventional Radiologists: a Necessary Evaluation of Technical, Protective and Technological Operation

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

To present the results of occupational radiation doses investigated through a Hospitals of Mazandaran Medical Science Universities in north of Iran. Radiology unit has an important role in diagnosis of many disorders with providing suitable and high quality pictures. A good picture was provided using correct technical criteria and suitable circumstance of patient. Finally, operation and knowledge of radiology personnel directly has a primary role in determining quality of radiography.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study was done in order to determine personnel operation in the units of hospitals radiologist related to University of Mazandaran Medical Science. Data collection tools are made of a researcher check list that was used after obtaining suitable letter and validity indexes. All of the 73 personnel of radiology unit related to Mazandaran Medical Science were studied. 35 operations (in technical, protective and technological fields) of any personnel, in three distinct shifts were observed and recorded. All of them were tested regarding these three fields with a total of 40 questions.

RESULTS

The total scores received from personnel in technical part in the morning, evening and night shift were 66.4, 53.9 and 60.2 percent respectively. Received scores from personnel in the protective fields were 68.1, 59.5 and 60.2 percent. Moreover, received scores from personnel in the technological operation fields were 47.8, 39.95 and 43.65 percent respectively. Comparison of these three scores in technical, protective and technological operation fields showed a meaningful difference (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

The overall quality of personnel operations were nearly desirable and in need of continuous education, supervision and evaluation. Emphasizing protection to beams, accessibility of necessary tools, continuous supervision regarding the usage of these equipments and respecting the other security points have an important role in decreasing patients absorbed doses.

ServiceBlueprinting as a service management tool in radiology

PURPOSE

To describe the ServiceBlueprint model as a suitable method of service management in clinical medicine using the example of the routine clinical setting of a radiological department.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

ServiceBlueprinting is a concept for the analysis, visualization, and optimization of service processes. To investigate whether the model will also provide a suitable representation of medical services, particularly the provision of radiological services, ServiceBlueprints were created for the modality computed tomography (CT). To this end, an independent observer analyzed the workflow of 40 consecutive CT examinations.

RESULTS

The ServiceBlueprint provided an analysis of the status quo of the service processes in CT imaging modality. Weak points in the processes thus became immediately apparent. The model could also be used for personnel management in that it helped to define the roles of staff members from different categories in the value-added process. It served as a basis for the implementation of quality management systems according to Total Quality Management (TQM) and DIN-EN-ISO-9001:2000.

CONCLUSIONS

The ServiceBlueprint model is a service management concept that is also suitable to visualize medical service processes in routine clinical settings like in a radiology department and has a multifarious potential in process optimization, implementation of quality management systems, and human resources management.