From the November 2015 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
Also, despite the best of intentions, traditional applications training that vendors provide after installation is not always enough to ensure a comprehensive knowledge of the system and become an expert at imaging at the lowest possible dose without compromising image quality.
However, there are a number of actions that key stakeholders, vendors, radiology administrators and technologists can take.
Opportunities and Calls to Action for Manufacturers and Vendors:
• Examine current training programs and make changes to focus on the challenges of today, such as optimizing exposure image quality, demands on department productivity, and the fact that multiple vendors’ system interfaces may be used at a customer’s site.
• Dive deeper into the difference between CR and DR. This helps end users avoid making the assumption that there is little to no difference in equipment performance and functionality when moving from CR to DR or even film-based processing.
• Forge an alliance among all industry vendors and equipment manufacturers to collaborate efforts not only in initiatives that are already underway, such as reducing patient dose, but also in the standardization of applications training programs and course objectives across all vendors.
• Evaluate whether best practices related to infection control are being taught and demonstrated as part of the existing applications training program. If not, incorporate this aspect of performing the radiology exam into the course objectives and competencies.
• Consider adding basic troubleshooting skills to existing training programs because many service calls placed to service engineers are actually operator errors rather than equipment malfunctions.
• Incorporate key elements of patient satisfaction into training programs, such as how technology now allows tableside control panel and image preview functionality to enable more quality time working alongside the patient than with previous generation technology.
Opportunities and Calls to Action for Radiology Administrators:
• Hold the vendor accountable during new system purchases for a generous number of applications training days, including follow-up sessions, when possible, to ensure that staff has achieved competency in all aspects of the equipment’s features and functionality. This is especially important when the system includes purchased options to perform advanced applications.
