UVA Health has transformed text radiology reports into interactive multimedia, with 66-78% of abdominal CTs, chest MRIs, and PET-CTs containing links to key findings. Radiologists find this capability immensely useful. Dr. Cree Gaskin, Associate CMIO, notes initial challenges in technical implementation and adoption. Through integration, education, and collaboration with EHR vendors, UVA Health achieved successful adoption. The approach enhances report quality, improves efficiency, and boosts engagement for radiologists, providers, and patients.
UVA Health has revolutionized the conversion of plain text radiology reports into multimedia formats, yielding substantial clinical benefits. Over 66-78% of abdominal CTs, chest MRIs, and PET-CTs in the health system now include interactive links to critical findings. Radiologists have found this capability immensely advantageous, according to the associate Chief Medical Information Officer (CMIO).
In 2018, the University of Virginia (UVA) Health System in Charlottesville implemented innovative reporting technology, allowing radiologists to craft advanced reports enriched with multimedia elements. The standard in radiology reporting, however, remained plain text.
UVA Health introduced enhancements akin to modern internet articles, incorporating text formatting, essential images, tables, figures, and hyperlinks connecting vital findings in the report to annotated images in the PACS. Additionally, the reports now include a photograph of the signing radiologist, enhancing professional visibility.
Dr. Cree Gaskin, the Associate CMIO and Vice-Chair of Informatics and Operations, along with the Division Director of Musculoskeletal Imaging, highlighted the two main challenges faced in 2018. Firstly, the technical aspect: while interactive multimedia reports were successfully created, delivering them downstream in an optimal format posed a challenge.
Initially, PDF format was used to transmit the rich content from the reporting application to the Electronic Health Record (EHR). Providers required a third-party PDF viewer integrated with the EHR to access the advanced report content. Though functional, this solution had room for improvement, as the goal was to make the content instantly and directly visible within the EHR, similar to plain text reports.
The second challenge was the adoption of this new technology. UVA Health aimed to increase the utilization of advanced report creation by radiologists and enhance exposure to referring providers and patients.
To address these challenges, UVA Health took several steps. They increased visibility within the department by conducting dedicated conferences and providing electronic how-to guides, ensuring radiologists understood the benefits and were skilled in generating advanced reports. They emphasized the advantages of these reports in terms of clarity, shortened review time, and reduced reporting errors.
Collaboration with the EHR vendor ensured that advanced report elements were not only accessible to providers in the leading EHR but also functional and visible for patients through the EHR patient portal.
As a result, UVA Health has witnessed high adoption rates across the department. Between 66-78% of abdominal CTs, chest MRIs, and PET-CTs now incorporate interactive links to critical findings. This adoption demonstrates the usefulness of the tool to radiologists. The preliminary investigation indicates that these links are commonly accessed by providers and patients, with about two activations per report with hyperlinks in the EHR.
Dr. Gaskin emphasized that the integration of interactive multimedia reports into the EHR substantially boosts their utilization. The enhanced visibility increases adoption rates, as radiologists are more inclined to create advanced reports if they are being utilized by consumers.
The success of UVA Health in adopting advanced reporting methods offers insights for other institutions. Dr. Gaskin advised that improving report quality by moving beyond plain text is a natural progression. However, practicality is key, and any new approach must align with radiologists’ workflow. Moreover, leadership is crucial to overcoming inertia and driving change. Integration with existing systems, like PACS viewers, can provide an advantage in seamless adoption.
Overall, UVA Health’s transition from plain text to interactive multimedia radiology reports has yielded significant clinical benefits. The increased adoption of advanced reporting methods demonstrates their practical value for radiologists, providers, and patients alike.
