The Cinderellas of the scanner: Magnetic resonance imaging ‘pre-scan’ and ‘post-scan’ times: Their determinants and impact on patient throughput
SA Journal of Radiology
| Field | Value | |
| Title | The Cinderellas of the scanner: Magnetic resonance imaging ‘pre-scan’ and ‘post-scan’ times: Their determinants and impact on patient throughput | |
| Creator | van Rooyen, Marthinus B. Pitcher, Richard D. | |
| Description | Background: Increasing demand for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has contributed to extended patient waiting times worldwide. This is particularly true in resource-limited environments, prompting this institutional workflow analysis.Objective: To determine the ‘pre-’ and ‘post-scan’ times for normal-hour MRI studies conducted at a tertiary-level, public-sector South African hospital and to assess any association with demographic details, patient characteristics, anatomical site and scan parameters. A secondary objective was determination of the average daily MR ‘down’ time.Methods: A prospective descriptive study stratifying MRI workflow into ‘pre-scan’, ‘scan’, ‘post-scan’ and ‘down’ times. During ‘pre-‘ and ‘post-scan’ times patients occupied the scanner whilst staff performed tasks indirectly contributing to image acquisition. During ‘down’ time no patient occupied the MRI room. ‘Pre-’ and ‘post-scan’ times were compared with demographic details, patient characteristics, anatomical site and study parameters, utilising correlation analysis or analysis of variance (ANOVA).Results: A total of 223 patients (n = 223) underwent 286 investigations in the 23-day review period. Seventy per cent of routine working time was utilised in image acquisition. The ‘pre-’ and ‘post-scan’ times together accounted for 19% and ‘down’ time for 11% of working time. Prolonged ‘pre-’ and ‘post-scan’ times were independently associated with age less than 12 years, anaesthesia, sedation and immobility (p 0.01 in all cases). The longest median combined ‘pre-’ and ‘post-scan’ time by anatomical site (cholangiopancreatography, 21:46 min) was more than six times the shortest (pituitary fossa, 3:11 min).Conclusion: A critical analysis of magnetic resonance ‘pre-’ and ‘post-scan’ times can provide valuable insights into opportunities for enhanced service efficiency. | |
| Publisher | AOSIS | |
| Date | 2020-12-01 | |
| Identifier | 10.4102/sajr.v24i1.1946 | |
| Source | South African Journal of Radiology; Vol 24, No 1 (2020); 6 pages 2078-6778 1027-202X | |
| Language | eng | |
| Relation |
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:
https://sajr.org.za/index.php/sajr/article/view/1946/2649
https://sajr.org.za/index.php/sajr/article/view/1946/2648
https://sajr.org.za/index.php/sajr/article/view/1946/2650
https://sajr.org.za/index.php/sajr/article/view/1946/2647
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