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Biomedical subjects

W M Rowe

Publications and source records attributed to W M Rowe.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Scheduling: if your RIS cannot, perhaps your HIS can.

As the services radiology departments provide have proliferated--new modalities, additional procedures--the scheduling process has become more complex. Radiology departments have been criticized by referring physicians and their staff for difficulties they encounter when scheduling patients for procedures. In light of managed care and increased competition for outpatient services, scheduling systems should be designed with the referring physician's office as the prime customer. Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) has devised a collaborative, hospital-wide system for scheduling. The same system is used by The Vanderbilt Clinics, which refer a significant number of outpatient procedures to VUMC. The radiology department has tailored the system to its technical requirements, and clinic staff members can access the system directly to schedule patient appointments. Minor adjustments were made during implementation of the process. Now, appointments are made efficiently by the clinic staff, and other systems, such as the film library, are benefiting from better information and organization. VUMC has changed the scheduling process of the radiology department to reach the customers who actually promote the radiology practice. Communication between the department and the clinics has improved and a spirit of teamwork is growing.

Appointments and Schedules↗
PubMed1995

Writing a PACS program statement.

Medical telecommunications is becoming a necessity for maintaining the quality of care and delivering services on a timely basis in the current environment of cutting services and specialists to reduce costs. (Vanden Brink 1994). Picture archiving and communications systems (PACS) and teleradiology are increasingly viable because there is easier connectivity among modalities and manufacturers. Agreement on the DICOM Standard is one step toward greater connectivity. Two-thirds of the 350 radiology administrators, radiologists, hospital administrators and MIS directors interviewed for the 1994 IMACS/PACS Tracking Study believe that the use of image telecommunication technology is growing. In 1993, Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) formed a committee to evaluate the need for PACS and to compile a program statement. The principal purpose of the program statement is to provide fundamental information that can be understood easily by individuals outside the radiology department. It outlines the benefits of PACS and includes a financial analysis of the purchase and installation of a system. Key elements of the program statement include a description and analysis of the existing film library system, advantages of PACS, implementation plan, financial proforma and integration with the hospital information system. These and other topics are covered in detail in the following article.

Computer Communication Networks↗
PubMed1993

Radiology information systems help radiology departments operate more efficiently.

Many department managers identify radiology information systems (RIS) as one way to increase efficiency and reduce expenses. Ms. Rowe explains various ways that an RIS can help you compete in an increasingly competitive marketplace, handle higher patient volume and fulfill requirements for recording and transferring patient information.

Efficiency↗
PubMed1990

Upgrading a radiology information system.

Expanding or replacing an RIS can be an overwhelming responsibility for the radiology manager; Ms. Rowe's article helps to define the task. According to the author, one of the primary decisions is whether to remain with the present vendor or to evaluate a new system, and the advantages and disadvantages of both alternatives are presented.

Commerce↗
PubMed1989

Job satisfaction revisited.

With today's technologist shortage, it is crucial that managers use every tool at their disposal to keep experienced employees. In this article, Ms. Rowe and Mr. McGraner cite a strategy for improving technologists' productivity, providing specific examples from their organization, Methodist Hospitals of Memphis. Better people skills can make a difference in the success of a department and may be the deciding factor if an employee has different options to consider.

Hospital Departments↗
PubMed1988

Customer service: a mind-set.

As competition for patients and physicians in the health care industry has increased, the old tradition of catering to the customer is being reborn. This article describes the factors affecting today's health care environment and how the creation of a customer service "mind-set" can assist your department in capturing and maintaining its full market share.

Consumer Behavior↗
PubMed1987

A cautious approach to radiology information management systems.

Selection of a radiology information system can be a trying endeavor for radiology managers. The two major flaws in most systems are found in the format and design of software module functions and in the service provided by vendors following installation. This article focuses on specific prepurchase considerations.

Competitive Bidding↗
PubMed1987

From an employee to an associate.

The role of the healthcare employee in the decision-making process is greatly influenced by our industry's human resource departments. At the Methodist Hospitals of Memphis, in Memphis, Tennessee, the shift is toward participative decision-making. This article discusses the implementation of this new philosophy and discusses why this style of management is becoming the most effective technique for today's radiology manager.

Decision Making, Organizational↗
PubMed1986

A FOCUS on computerization.

Regardless of the amount of information available today relative to radiology management information systems, the manager with minimum experience needs to "focus" attention on specific aspects of computerization during the selection and implementation processes. This article defines those areas of interest that can contribute to the overall success and acceptance of a system.

Hospital Departments↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Managing the film library: what to do until the panacea arrives.

Today's imaging departments are complex and often decentralized. Despite such growth, the film library is often overlooked and minimally planned for. The oversight may come from the anticipation of picture archiving and communications systems (PACS), considered by many to be the panacea for film management, but in reality, still only a concept, or at best, in its early stages. Since most departments do not anticipate going filmless for many years and others expect to continue hard copy imaging at a 20 to 30 percent rate, managing the film library remains an important issue. In general, film librarians' daily work remains labor intensive, despite attempts to automate some tasks. Yet when cutbacks are made, this support staff is often cut. One way to deal with service and expansion issues in the film library is to stop and evaluate the situation, assess the decline in the level of service, and determine what issues need improvement. Managers should gather information, analyze the data and listen to all interested parties to be sure they understand the overall problems, often best done by someone from outside the department. Analyzing and evaluating work processes, even observing the design of work areas, can be useful in understanding productivity inside the department. An invaluable way to gather data is to listen to those who carry out the daily tasks and those who use the services. Until their needs are understood by management, further changes will have minimal success. When a list of issues is assembled, managers should establish a team to review and prioritize them. Team members will need to understand departmental long-term plans before making recommendations. While every library's operations are unique, a key problem remains lost films. Policies and procedures for removing films must come from hospital senior administration, while managing film within the department is everyone's job. With the chaos under control, managers will be ready to face the challenge of electronic imaging.

Efficiency, Organizational↗