Programmatic Implementation of a Custom Subspecialized Oncologic Imaging Workflow Manager at a Tertiary Cancer Center

Abstract

PURPOSE To evaluate whether a custom programmatic workflow manager reduces reporting turnaround times (TATs) from a body oncologic imaging workflow at a tertiary cancer center. METHODS A custom software program was developed and implemented in the programming language R. Other aspects of the workflow were left unchanged. TATs were measured over a 12-month period (June-May). The same prior 12-month period served as a historical control. Median TATs of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) examinations were compared with a Wilcoxon test. A chi-square test was used to compare the numbers of examinations reported within 24 hours and after 72 hours as well as the proportions of examinations assigned according to individual radiologist preferences. RESULTS For all MRI and CT examinations (124,507 in 2019/2020 and 138,601 in 2020/2021), the median TAT decreased from 4 (interquartile range: 1-22 hours) to 3 hours (1-17 hours). Reports completed within 24 hours increased from 78% (124,127) to 89% (138,601). For MRI, TAT decreased from 22 (5-49 hours) to 8 hours (2-21 hours), and reports completed within 24 hours increased from 55% (14,211) to 80% (23,744). For CT, TAT decreased from 3 (1-19 hours) to 2 hours (1-13 hours), and reports completed within 24 hours increased from 84% (82,342) to 92% (99,922). Delayed reports (with a TAT > 72 hours) decreased from 17.0% (4,176) to 2.2% (649) for MRI and from 2.5% (2,500) to 0.7% (745) for CT. All differences were statistically significant ( P < .001). CONCLUSION The custom workflow management software program significantly decreased MRI and CT report TATs.