The Enhanced Workflow and Efficiency of the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)-Based Direct Digital Radiography (DDR) Portable Radiography.

With the implementation of the PACS in the hospital, there is an increasing demand from the clinicians for immediate access and display of radiological images. Recently, our hospital has installed the first wireless local area network (WLAN)-based direct digital radiography (DDR) portable radiography system. The DDR portable radiography system allows wireless retrieval of modality worklist and wireless transmission of portable X-ray image on the console to the Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), via WLAN connection of wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi). The aim of this study was to analyze the workflow and performance between the WLAN-based DDR portable radiography system and the old practice using conventional portable X-ray machine with computed radiography (CR) system. A total of 190 portable chest X-ray examinations were evaluated and timed, using the conventional portable X-ray machine with CR from March to April of 2012 and using the new DDR portable radiography system on December of 2012 (n = 97 for old system and n = 93 for DDR portable system). The time interval of image becoming available to the PACS using the WLAN-based DDR portable radiography system was significantly shorter than that of the old practice using the conventional portable X-ray machine with CR (6.8 ± 2.6 min for DDR portable system; 23 ± 10.2 min for old system; p < 0.0001), with the efficiency improved by 70 %. The implementation of the WLAN-based DDR portable radiography system can enhance the workflow of portable radiography by reduction of procedural steps.

Key Performance Indicators for Comparing the Performance of Portable Radiography: Direct Digital Radiography versus Conventional Machine Computed Radiography-A Study in a Nonacute Hospital.

INTRODUCTION: Portable radiography traditionally has been performed with a conventional portable x-ray unit with computed radiography (CR) system (conventional-CR combo), and off-site processing of the exposed CR cassettes was time-consuming. The direct digital radiography (DDR) portable x-ray system, with the digital image immediately available for review and wireless transmission as the key merits, is newly installed for portable radiography. Thus, the work flow of portable radiography is changed. This study was performed to quantitatively investigate the performance of portable radiography using the DDR portable x-ray system and conventional-CR combo in terms of efficiency and work flow enhancement. METHODS: One hundred ninety portable x-ray examinations were timed for each procedural step using conventional-CR combo (n=97) and the DDR portable x-ray system. The following key performance indicators were designed for measuring the performance of portable radiography quantitatively: "examination duration," "time for image becoming available in PACS," "postacquisition processing time," and "manpower deployment time." RESULTS: Productivity was raised by 96% using the DDR portable x-ray system. "Examination duration" using the DDR portable system was significantly faster (P < .0001), with a mean calculated time of 13.4 ± 7.6 minutes for the DDR portable system and 25.2 ± 10.9 minutes for conventional-CR combo. The "time for image becoming available in PACS" was significantly shorter than that of conventional-CR combo (P < .0001), with a mean time of 6.8 ± 2.6 minutes for the DDR portable system and 19.2 ± 9.7 minutes for conventional-CR combo. The "postacquisition processing time" was measured with slight differences, with a mean time of 2.2 ± 1.1 minutes for the DDR portable system and 1.9 ± 1.0 minutes for conventional-CR combo (P = .1064). Because more portable x-ray examinations could be performed when using the DDR portable x-ray system in each round of service, the mean "manpower deployment time" when using the DDR portable x-ray system was longer (ie, 82.6 ± 46.8 minutes for the DDR portable system and 24.5 ± 11.9 minutes for conventional-CR combo). CONCLUSIONS: By using the new DDR portable x-ray system with work flow changes, the performance of portable radiography was improved in efficiency and work flow was enhanced. Furthermore, the four defined key performance indicators in this study may help provide a framework for measuring the performance of portable radiography in other institutions.