Using information technology to improve the efficiency of issuing special x-ray examination orders in healthcare center

Introduction: The health center performs an average of 20 specialized X-ray examinations daily, such as computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and mammography. Each examination requires a manual form and takes 2-3 minutes to print a patient information label. Affixing the form and checking inspection item codes for 20 patients takes an average of 40-60 minutes. Between 2023/8/1 and 8/7, the X-ray examination room reported 14 unclearly checked items, requiring confirmation calls to the health clinic center. Additionally, four subjects' basic information was missing, necessitating the nurse's visit to the room to add label stickers. The X-ray examination order completion rate was only 81.4%.

Aim:Aiming to improve work efficiency and examination quality, the health center hopes to exceed a 95% completion rate for special examination orders in the X-ray department through information technology advancements, as mandated by their specialty KPI indicators.

Methods: We cooperate with the Information Management Section and the Radiology Examination Unit to carry out improvement measures from 2023/9/1-11/30: 1.Informationization of the "X-ray Special Examination" of the Health Center, development and construction of X-ray Special Examination Inspection information system, the system screen can display inspection items, making it convenient for nurses to correctly click and print the inspection form containing the basic information of the subject, reducing the abnormality of manual issuance of inspection orders; it also facilitates the inspection during special inspections in the X-ray department Technicians in the laboratory can scan the barcode of the examination form to identify the subject, and the examination system automatically brings in the subject's information, thereby reducing error. 2.Education and training on the operation of the "X-ray Department Special Examination" information system for health center staff. The information management course programmer equips staff with the skills to navigate and operate the X-ray Department Special Examination system effectively. This training covers addressing operational issues, providing comprehensive system Q&A, and maintaining readily accessible contact information for program-responsible personnel. 3.Throughout the implementation period of the new X-ray examination system, from September 1st to 10th, health center staff will be vigilant in identifying and addressing any operational issues that may arise. Health center staff will make immediate system adjustments in real time to ensure optimal performance.

Results: The results of the implemented measures were reviewed from 2023/12/1-2024/1/31, the completion rate of special examination orders in the X-ray department increased from 81.4% to 100%, and the daily processing time of special examinations in the X-ray department dropped from 40-60 minutes before the improvement to 6.7 minutes (an average of 20 people).

Conclusion: The health center prioritizes professional and efficient service delivery in all areas, including health examinations. We identified challenges with processing special examination requests in the X-ray department and, through cross-departmental collaboration, developed an information system to streamline this process. This new system aims to minimize human error and improve data accuracy. While previous manual processes resulted in incomplete orders and extended processing times, the information system will facilitate clear communication and efficient workflow between departments, ultimately supporting consistent and high-quality examinations.