Optimize Scheduling of radiology

Purpose	Optimize management of radiology imaging and interventions for multiple chronic conditions. Coordinate radiology care for patients with multiple conditions requiring disease surveillance or imaging for change in health state at known and unknown intervals. Coordinate multiple imaging studies to be done on the same day/same location; coordinate imaging studies to be done on days/at locations of patient visits with clinical care providers
Tag(s)	Non-Interpretative, Follow-up, Tracking system, reminder system, Multi-disciplinary coordination
Panel	Patient Facing
Define-AI ID	22110007
Originator	Nadja Kadom, MD
Lead	Andrea Borondy Kitts
Panel Chair	Andrea Borondy Kitts
Panel Reviewers	Patient Facing
License	Creative Commons 4.0
Status	Public Comment

                               

Value Proposition

The main goal of care coordination is to meet patients' needs and preferences in the delivery of high-quality, high-value health care. This means that the patient's needs and preferences are known and communicated at the right time to the right people, and that this information is used to guide the delivery of safe, appropriate, and effective care.

Care coordination involves deliberately organizing patient care activities and sharing information among all of the participants concerned with a patient's care to achieve safer and more effective care.

This means that the patient's needs and preferences are known ahead of time and communicated at the right time to the right people, and that this information is used to provide safe, appropriate, and effective care to the patient.

Narrative(s)

A patient with extensive cancer history requires regular Abdominal and Pelvic CT scans to follow-up results on the effects of cancer treatment, MRIs of the brain  every 6 months to follow multiple biopsied cystic structures in the midline cerebellum, and thyroid ultrasounds every year to watch for the development of suspicious nodules. The patient also requires mammography every 6-months. The effects of long term cancer treatment require bone density testing at appropriate intervals. Chest and abdominal x-rays are sometimes required to screen for possible metastatic disease to the lungs. The patient lives far away from the hospital where the scans are done so it is helpful to schedule appointments the same day whenever possible or at least the same day that she is already at the hospital for cancer treatment. There is also the challenge that some radiology tests cannot be performed within a certain time frame of each other because of contrast still in the patient's system. It has happened twice that this patient has driven a long distance to the imaging site for her scheduled exam only to find it  couldn't be performed because contrast was still in her system from a prior exam. This was especially frustrating because the same Radiology Scheduling Department scheduled both of the exams. The patient’s professional and social life is significantly impacted by the fact that so many appointments, including radiology, are spread out inefficiently.

Workflow Description

The workflow includes: (1) The healthcare facility entering the patient and patient information  into a care coordination system that coordinates clinical and imaging appointments, (2) the AI automatically proposes scheduled clinical and radiology appointments that the patient can review and approve or modify to their needs, (3) the AI ensures imaging exam requirements and eligibility are compatible with the imaging exam scheduling options, (4) the ability for the AI to adjust the schedule as new exams are added to the list or if patient eligibility changes (eg cancer progresses and patient treatment plan changes), (5) link to the patient’s personal calendar

What procedures might prompt this algorithm? 

• Breast cancer patient with kidney failure who needs a breast MRI and a dialysis appointment on the same day

• Lung cancer patient who needs to see a pulmonologist and get a chest CT on the same day at different locations

• Patient with pancreatic cysts who needs annual MRI studies for surveillance

What type of patients should be considered for this algorithm?

Cancer patients

Inputs

Imaging Appointment Type

Primary Outputs

Proposed schedule 

Summary of exam prep

Summary of exam contraindications

Automatically schedule the appointments for the patient, provide option for patient and referring clinician to change the appointment while maintaining preparation requirements, eligibility, and avoiding contraindications