“More in the Tank”: Rethinking the Value of Radiologist Efficiency

More output may be the most visible measure of a successful reporting transition, but does it tell the full story? Leaders from Yale New Haven Health, Emory University School of Medicine and Radiologic Associates of Fredericksburg (RAF) suggest that productivity metrics capture only one dimension of success.

Yale maintained productivity through launch without reducing volume, an important outcome during a major platform transition. Yet Melissa A. Davis, MD, MBA, Vice Chair of Medical Informatics, pointed to another measure that’s harder to quantify: “Am I reading the same amount? Because I don’t feel as tired at the end of a shift.” If radiologists can sustain the same performance with less fatigue, the value extends beyond the number of studies completed.

RAF President Roni Talukdar, MD, described that value as finishing the day with “a little bit more in the tank.” His distinction is especially relevant amid workforce shortages. Greater efficiency should help existing radiologists manage demand more sustainably, not leave them feeling like they’re “running faster on a hamster wheel.”

Regained capacity can also create value beyond clinical output. At Emory, Elias Kikano, MD, Division Director of Imaging Informatics, hopes greater efficiency will give academic radiologists more time to teach at the workstation, review cases with trainees and contribute to research without feeling pressured to rush through the reading list.

With this in mind, organizations should evaluate success across two dimensions: whether the work feels more sustainable and whether regained capacity creates room for other priorities. Some of the most meaningful outcomes may be difficult to capture, but they reveal whether a reporting transition is improving the radiologist experience.

Watch the full webinar to hear how leaders from Yale, Emory and RAF navigated the reporting transition.

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