Background and objectives The rising demand for computed tomography (CT) has put pressure on radiology departments to optimize workflows and turnaround times (TATs). TATs in CT encompass the entire process from order to report finalization. Optimizing the TAT is essential to improving patient satisfaction and workflow. This study aimed to evaluate the TAT of CT scans and the influencing factors at Palestinian hospitals. Methods A cross-sectional retrospective study on 8,220 CT scan orders from three Palestinian hospitals was conducted. Data from CT scans, completed from 01/07/2023 to 31/12/2023, were collected from the medical records stored in the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. The collected data included times of CT scan order, acceptance, and final report, order status, encounter type, the ordering day and time, and whether CT scans were with or without contrast media. Then, the order-to-accept TAT, the accept-to-result TAT, and the order-to-result TAT were calculated in minutes. Nonparametric statistical analyses were employed to identify associations between TATs and encounter type, scan day, working shift, and contrast media utilization. Results The median TATs from order to acceptance, from order to result, and from acceptance to result were 78, 837, and 462 minutes, respectively. TATs varied significantly depending on working shifts, the day of the week, encounter type, and the use of contrast media. The order-to-accept TAT was higher for inpatient CT scans, CT scans ordered on C shifts, and those with contrast media. The accept-to-result TAT was higher for outpatient CT scans, CT scans ordered on B shift compared to A shift, CT scans ordered on weekends, and those with contrast media. The order-to-result TAT was higher for outpatient compared to emergency CT scans, CT scans ordered on C shift, CT scans ordered on weekends, and CT scans with contrast media. Conclusion CT scan TATs constitute essential indicators of operational efficiency in radiology departments. Several factors significantly influence these metrics, including the order day, the working shift, the request source, and the administration of contrast agents. To improve CT scan throughputs, targeted strategies must be implemented to optimize workforce allocation, streamline intra-departmental workflows, and mitigate patient-related delays. Such evidence-informed interventions hold promise for advancing both diagnostic efficiency and the overall quality of radiological services.
Rabay’a et al. (Wed,) studied this question.