Optimizing Outpatient Oral Contrast Use in Abdominal CT-A Radiology Pandemic Response Initiative to Reduce Patient Time in the Waiting Room and Reduce Costs, While Improving Patient Experience.

The aim was to reduce outpatient wait time and improve patient experience by optimising oral contrast use Our multidisciplinary stakeholder collaboration implemented two simultaneous interventions: (1) Creation of 'oral contrast policy', limiting recommended indications. (2) Creation of a new shorter oral contrast regime (30 vs 60 min). We conducted a retrospective service evaluation of oral contrast use in outpatient (OP) abdominal CT at baseline and post-intervention.

Cardiac Link: a retrospective cohort study evaluating a clinical pathway for expedited cardiology referral.

Background: Outpatients presenting with chest pain often face long wait times for cardiology consultation and subsequent investigation for obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), during which adverse cardiovascular events may occur. Our objective was to describe the design of Cardiac Link, a coronary computed tomography angiogram (CCTA)-guided rapid-access program, and evaluate its effect on cardiology consultation wait times in patients who present to primary care physicians with stable chest pain.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study at Women's College Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, between 2017 and 2020 involving eligible patients from the Family Practice Health Centre who underwent CCTA after presenting with stable chest pain or equivalent symptoms.

Improving MRI Access: A framework for optimizing MRI scheduling templates.

Introduction/background: Within radiology departments, alignment of available imaging capacity with demand across different patient groups helps ensure that all patient populations are receiving timely and equitable care. The objective of the MRI Schedule Optimization project was to implement a 5-step framework to review and update the current MRI schedule templates at the Joint Department of Medical Imaging (JDMI) to ensure optimal alignment with demand across patient populations.

Methods: The project, governed by clinical and clerical stakeholders and operational leadership (Owners), followed a 5-step process: (1) Analysis of baseline data related to MRI demand and current schedule composition (2) Current state assessment of MRI operations via interviews and observations (3) Updating of schedules to align with demand (4) Review of process improvement opportunities (5) Go-live planning and evaluation.

Bridging the Gap Between Radiology and Primary Care: Expansion and Sustainability of a Medical Imaging Call Center Model.

Objectives: The Medical Imaging Call Centre (MICC) was an initiative carried out by a hospital-based academic imaging department with the aim to provide navigational services and radiologist consultations to community-based primary care physicians (PCPs). The strategies used to expand and sustain the initiative over a 3.5-year period after an initial pilot are described.