Jennifer - We try to avoid phone calls too. Rads want asynchronous communication unless a clinician is on the line. Our team isn't 24/7 but uses each health systems messaging app. This shows the team the time the message is retrieved. This is logged to a tracking sheet. We also have internal rules about which radiologist gets XX type of call. This serves to ensure distributed fairly. Addendum requests seem to be a perpetual nightmare for tracking. Several years ago we created an app that helps track the request, and ages them in a way that is apparent to the rads. Receipt of a new addendum kills the request. Works for coders and site staff relaying requests from clinicians.
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Beth Williams MHA, FACMPE, FRBMA
Executive Director
Vantage Radiology and Diagnostic Services
Federal Way WA
(253) 661-1700 ext. 1105
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Original Message:
Sent: 05-15-2023 12:29
From: Jennifer Yahne
Subject: Systems to Support Staff/Radiologist Communications
We have a team of administrative staff working 24/7/365 who supports communications with our radiologists from our hospital partners, referring providers & technologists on the myriad of issues that need to be addressed by the physicians. Right now the staff communicate with the radiologists via phone calls, which can be challenging. It is disruptive to the radiologists' workflow, the physicians aren't always available to take calls, and it can be time consuming for staff to track down a doctor to help. It also isn't very visible so there are always assumptions that this work isn't allocated out evenly. I would like to move to an electronic form of communication, but I am not sure what options are out there to support this. We have multiple PACS systems, so we cannot consistently use the messaging systems with that. We also have radiologists sitting at multiple hospital systems so we are limited on systems that would have to be installed on a computer. What approaches are others taking for supporting this function?
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Jennifer Yahne
Chief Operating Officer
TRA-MINW, P.S.
Tacoma WA
jyahne@tranow.com
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