TIME AND FLOW STUDY RESULTS BEFORE AND AFTER INSTALLATION OF A HOSPITAL INFORMATION-SYSTEM AND RADIOLOGY INFORMATION-SYSTEM AND BEFORE CLINICAL USE OF A PICTURE ARCHIVING AND COMMUNICATION-SYSTEM

The effectiveness of a hospital information system (HIS) and a radiolo gical information system (RIS) was evaluated to optimize preparation f or the planned full clinical operation of a picture archiving and comm unication system (PACS), which is now linked experimentally to the HIS and the RIS. One thousand IC: (integrated circuit) cards were used fo r time studies and flow studies in the hospital. Measurements were per formed on image examination order entry, image examination, reporting, and image delivery times. Even though after the HIS and the RIS opera tion only a small amount of time savings were realized in each time fr action component, such as in the patient movement time, examination ti me, and film delivery time, the total turn-around time was shortened m arkedly, by more than 23 hours on average. It was verified that the HI S and the RIS was beneficial in the outpatient clinics of the orthoped ic department. Our method of measurement employing IC cards before and after HIS and RIS operations can be applied in other hospitals. Copyr ight (C) 1997 by W.B. Saunders Company.