Trainee and Faculty Perceptions of Remote PACS Workstations and Next Steps in a Large US Academic Medical Institution.

OBJECTIVE: Remote workstations were rapidly deployed in our academic radiology practice in late March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although well-received by faculty, there were concerns for the impact on resident education. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Surveys of the radiology trainees and faculty were conducted online seven- and thirteen-months following workstation deployment as a part of a quality improvement project to assess the impact on radiology education and faculty wellness, as well as assess the desired trajectory of remote work in an academic setting. RESULTS: The majority of trainees (52%) reported the implementation had negatively impacted resident education, greatest among lower level residents (p < .001). This perception did not change despite interventions and perceived improvement in teleconferencing. Greater than 75% of radiologists with remote workstations reported improved wellness and lower stress levels compared to the onsite radiologists. The majority of all respondents voted to continue or expand remote work following the COVID-19 pandemic in both surveys. CONCLUSIONS: Onsite teaching is important for the education of residents, particularly for lower-level residents. However, the adoption of a hybrid model in an academic setting may prove beneficial for faculty wellness and recruitment of the next generation.

Multiinstitutional U.S. Academic Radiology Perspectives on Inpatient Diagnostic Imaging of Patients With Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) and Persons Under Investigation.

OBJECTIVE. This article presents the perspectives of radiologists in different sub-specialties at three institutions across the United States regarding inpatient imaging of patients confirmed to have coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and persons under investigation (i.e., patients suspected to have COVID-19). CONCLUSION. The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted radiologists to become aware of imaging findings related to the disease and to develop workflows for the imaging of patients with COVID-19 and persons under investigation, to optimize care for all patients and preserve the health of health care workers.

Rapid Deployment of Home PACS Workstations to Enable Social Distancing in the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Era

OBJECTIVE. Social distancing is considered an effective mitigation strategy for coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and remote interpretation of radiologic studies is one approach to social distancing within the radiology department. We describe the rapid deployment of home workstations to achieve social distancing in the radiology department at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. CONCLUSION. Transitioning from on-site interpretation to remote interpretation requires a careful balancing of hospital and departmental finances, engineering choices, and educational and philosophical workflow issues.