Problem 1: Dr. Ruiz has decided on a team approach to address the problem. Who should be invited to participate as members of the team? Explain your answer.
Problem 2: The team has identified the problem as delayed or missing radiology reports. What data would you recommend they collect on an ongoing basis that would provide an indication of the magnitude of the problem? How often should these data be reported (daily, weekly, or monthly)? Explain your answers.
Problem 3: Which quality improvement or patient safety tools would you recommend she and her team use early in the process to better understand factors contributing to the problem, root causes of the problem, and the steps of the process of managing radiology reports as it currently exists.
Problem 4: Once the team has identified root causes of the problem and the steps of the current process, they decide to implement a radiology test tracking system for the providers in the clinic. As they begin to develop their plans, they decide to use the PDSA cycle to monitor the effects of changes they plan to implement in the clinic. Describe how they should proceed in each phase of the PDSA cycle. Include a description of each phase and the activities that should be included in each phase.
Problem 5: Describe the future role of technology in the management of test results. Dr. Ruiz anticipates there will be a time when the IT department begins the work of integrating the radiology function in the EHR, at least for those tests completed within the health care system. She wants to be ready with recommendations that might eliminate the current need for each provider to develop their own work arounds. What features would you suggest?