Guideline• The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) guidelines, in the standard practiceand guidance for trauma radiology in seriously injured patients (SIP), state thatan on call radiologist should provide the final report on the SIP within onehour of multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) image acquisition.

Time taken to verify reports in trauma patients. Does this department meet RCR guidelines?

Aims• Assess whether this DGH was meeting these guidelines• To compare services during working hours and out of hours

Methodology• Retrospective audit• Three month data pool of trauma images collected• CT head scans were used as a marker for trauma patients• The time taken from the first slice acquired to the verification of the reportwas recorded for each trauma patient• The data was also split to compare the service provided in and out of hours. Inhours was between 08:01-19:30 and out of hours was between 19:31-08:00.

Audit standard• No established standard set by the RCR• We used a standard of 100% of scans should be reported within one hour of image acquisition in SIP

Results• 98 patients were used overthree months, 62 during working hours and 39 out of hours• In total 37% of reportswere verified in one hour• 37% verified duringworking hours• 33% verified out of hours

Recommendation for change• Improvements in communication were implemented via a tick box note

• Out of hours; trauma images were outsourced via a high speed transfer system and highlighted as urgent

Re-audit results• Data was collected via the same methodology • 33 patients were usedover one month• 75% of scans were verified within one hour• 65% during working hours• 100% out of hours

Conclusion• Initially, guidelines were not being met• Improvements in communication within the department led to immediate results and the time taken to verify reports was reduced.• Utilising updated current technology is very beneficial and necessary

37%

64%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Pre audit Post audit

% of scans verified within an hour during work hours

33%

100%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Pre Audit Post Audit

% of scans verified within an hour out of hours

Dr Richard Sennett; BSc, MSc, MBBS. Dr Andrew Ceccehrini; BA, MB, Bchir (Cantab), MRCP, FRCR.

24%

52%

15%

6%

0% 3%Overall hours

Time (minutes) Verified reports

0-30 8

31-60 17

61-90 5

91-120 2

121-150 0

151+ 1

Total 33

5%

32%

32%

18%

7%

6%Overall hoursTime (minutes) Verified reports

0-30 5

31-60 31

61-90 31

91-120 18

121-150 7

151+ 6

Total 98