Rationale and Objectives: Communication with and within the Radiology Department is typically initiated over phone, face-to-face or general-purpose chat, causing frequent interruptions, additional... Show moreRationale and Objectives: Communication with and within the Radiology Department is typically initiated over phone, face-to-face or general-purpose chat, causing frequent interruptions, additional mental workload, workflow inefficiencies and diagnostic errors. We developed and evaluated a new communication solution that aims to reduce avoidable interruptions caused by technologist-radiologist communication.Materials and Methods: Following an iterative design process with future end users, a scalable web-based software solution, RadConnect, was developed enabling a chat-based communication workflow between a technologist and a radiologist. As a first experimental implementation, technologists can send categorized tickets to a radiology section account. Radiologists receive the tickets in a worklist that is prioritized by urgency. Consented radiologists and technologists performed scripted tasks in 2 hr sessions and completed a structured questionnaire on perceived value and comparison to standard communication modes.Results: Of 17 participants from three academic European institutes, 65% (11/17) believed they would use RadConnect frequently; 53% (9/17) believed that it reduces phone calls >80%; and 88% (15/17) believed it adds value compared to general-purpose enterprise chat applications.Discussion: Participants recognized the value of RadConnect especially its categorized tickets, prioritized worklist and role-based interaction model. Inter-institute differences in perceived value of RadConnect may have been caused by technologist-radiologist proximity and communication alternatives in the institutions.Conclusion: Chat-based role-based communication might be a viable mode of communication between technologists and radiologists to reduce avoidable inter-ruptions. Tailoring the chat solution to the needs of and tightly integrated with the radiology workflow is valued by future end users after exposure to the tool in a simulated environment. (c) 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Show less
Introduction:This study aims to describe the epidemiology, aetiology and therapy of orbital fractures in a large municipal hospital in The Hague, Netherlands, and to demonstrate the effectiveness... Show moreIntroduction:This study aims to describe the epidemiology, aetiology and therapy of orbital fractures in a large municipal hospital in The Hague, Netherlands, and to demonstrate the effectiveness of an integrated approach of orbital trauma care with a team consisting of an ophthalmologist, an orthoptist and an oral and maxillofacial (OMF) surgeon.Methods:We obtained data from patients with an orbital fracture between June 2015 until July 2018. Primary outcomes were the classification of orbital fractures and treatment (conservative or surgical).Results:182 patients were included in this study. The most common type of orbital fracture was an isolated orbital floor fracture (n=56, 30.8%). In most cases, therapy was conservative (69.2%). When surgical repair was indicated, a polydioxanone (PDS) plate was most commonly used (11.5%). The main cause of an orbital fracture was a fall accident (38.5%), followed by assault (32.4%). 32.4% of the patients were intoxicated with alcohol.Conclusion:In our study population, almost 70% (69.2%) of the patients were treated conservatively in our study. Compared to the international literature, this percentage is considerably higher than in other studies. In our opinion, our integrated approach to orbital trauma has led to a justifiable reduction of the proportion of cases receiving surgical intervention in orbital fractures. We would like to advocate the implementation of a similar team in other hospitals to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of treatment in patients with orbital fractures. Show less
