Quality-of-service improvements from coupling a digital chest unit with integrated speech recognition, information, and picture archiving and communications systems

Speech recognition reporting for chest examinations was introduced and tigh tly integrated with a Radiology Information System (RIS) and a Picture Arch iving and Communications System (PACS). A feature of this integration was t he unique one-to-one coupling of the workstation displayed case and the rep orting via speech recognition for that and only that particular examination and patient. The utility of the resulting, wholly integrated electronic en vironment was then compared with that of the previous analog chest unit and dedicated wet processor, with reporting of hard copy examinations by direc t dictation to a typist. Improvements in quality of service in comparison t o the previous work environment include (1) immediate release of the patien t, (2) decreased rate of repeat radiographs, (3) improved image quality, (4 ) decreased time for the examination to be available for interpretation, (5 ) automatic hanging of current and previous images, (6) ad-hoc availability of images, (7) capability of the radiologist to immediately review and cor rect the transcribed report, (8) decreased time for clinicians to view resu lts, and (9) increased capacity of examinations per room. Copyright (C) 199 9 by W.B. Saunders Company.