Seeing Patients Through: Improvements to Imaging Services

Posted 02:09 PM, September 13, 2007, by jaruiz

In response to the results of the 2006 physician survey, the Imaging Services Department of Lucile Packard Children's Hospital has significantly augmented its program to provide better responsiveness to patients and improved convenience in scheduling procedures.

Packard Children's Imaging Services Department is dedicated to providing state-of-the-art imaging that offers highly focused, personalized care to every patient and the timely reporting of the results by specialty radiologists. Members of the Imaging Services Team include Lori Hart, administrative director for imaging services; Patrick Barnes, MD; Anita Honkanen, MD; and their multidisciplinary PI teams. Over the last year, our team has addressed challenges with scheduling, authorizations, and optimizing through-put. Together, we facilitated the implementation of a centralized scheduling model; an automated call-distribution system to track the program's responsiveness; a televox automated patient-reminder call system; patient reminder letters sent with directions to all families; and appointment cards available for clinical use.

Our team also concentrated on streamlining the exam protocol process and improving modality turnaround time. Hours of operation for MRI services were expanded to include on-site staffing for weekends and to provide convenient appointment times for non-general anesthesia cases for outpatients and inpatients. Expanded ultrasound technologist coverage on weekends was also added to provide care for urgent inpatients.

As a result of these improvements, over 80 percent of calls to our main scheduling number, (650) 497-8376, are answered in person seven days a week from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Now, more than 80 percent of patients calling for an outpatient MRI are scheduled for a procedure within 48 hours. This is an enormous improvement compared to last year's average 10-day turnaround time.

Packard Children's Imaging Services Department continues to grow to meet the increasing demands for imaging. A newly renovated fluoroscopy/general diagnostic suite will be completed in the first quarter of the 2008 fiscal year. At the same time, construction will begin on a new suite that will include induction and holding rooms, as well as an additional 3T MRI scanner.

The Department of Imaging Services is pleased to provide state-of-the-art imaging with compassion to all of our patients and efficient responsiveness with subspecialty image interpretation. To facilitate complex scheduling scenarios, offer feedback, or obtain assistance with any other operational matter, please contact me by email at lhart@lpch.org or by phone at (650) 497-8975.

(Image courtesy of Mark Riesenberger)