As healthcare moves from a volume-based system to value-based, radiologists need to prove the value they add, beyond the radiology report. “ A common perception is that radiologists just come to work to read studies and then go home, while seeming to focus more on time off than on patient care and alignment with hospital and health system goals”, writes Samir Patel in a recent article in the Journal of the American College of Radiology.
Dr. Patel quantified the value that his radiology practice Radiology, Inc (Mishawaka, Indiana) provides to the hospital group they offer on-site radiology services to. In this article, he outlines the value management programme developed to document the value-added activities performed by on-site radiologists, quantify them in terms of time spent on each activity (investment), and present the benefits to internal and external stakeholders (outcomes) as an executive summary report template. He writes that this is a system that can easily be modified to the specific requirements of different types of practices, private and academic.
Patel has developed a radiology value-added matrix, which categorises activities under the headings of quality, service, resource management and professional development. The value management programme was first implemented systemwide in 2013. Across all serviced locations, 9,931.75 hours were invested. The mean and median individual value-added hours per radiologist were 134.52 and 113.33, respectively. If this programme were extrapolated to the entire field of radiology, approximately 30,000 radiologists, this would have resulted in 10,641,161 uncompensated value-added hours documented in 2013, with an estimated economic value of $2.21 billion.
He concludes, “It is not a static document and is meant to be dynamic, customizable, and adaptable to any clinical practice. The beauty is that it does not require a significant investment of money or resources to set up.”
Dr. Patel also features in a case study and video on the American College of Radiology website.
Source: Journal of the American College of Radiology
Image source: Pixabay
Dr. Patel quantified the value that his radiology practice Radiology, Inc (Mishawaka, Indiana) provides to the hospital group they offer on-site radiology services to. In this article, he outlines the value management programme developed to document the value-added activities performed by on-site radiologists, quantify them in terms of time spent on each activity (investment), and present the benefits to internal and external stakeholders (outcomes) as an executive summary report template. He writes that this is a system that can easily be modified to the specific requirements of different types of practices, private and academic.
Patel has developed a radiology value-added matrix, which categorises activities under the headings of quality, service, resource management and professional development. The value management programme was first implemented systemwide in 2013. Across all serviced locations, 9,931.75 hours were invested. The mean and median individual value-added hours per radiologist were 134.52 and 113.33, respectively. If this programme were extrapolated to the entire field of radiology, approximately 30,000 radiologists, this would have resulted in 10,641,161 uncompensated value-added hours documented in 2013, with an estimated economic value of $2.21 billion.
He concludes, “It is not a static document and is meant to be dynamic, customizable, and adaptable to any clinical practice. The beauty is that it does not require a significant investment of money or resources to set up.”
Dr. Patel also features in a case study and video on the American College of Radiology website.
Source: Journal of the American College of Radiology
Image source: Pixabay
References:
Patel S (2015) Value management program: performance, quantification, and presentation of imaging value-added actions. J Am Coll Radiol, 12(3): 239-48.
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As healthcare moves from a volume-based system to value-based, radiologists need to prove the value they add, beyond the radiology report. “ A common per...
