Comparing the Effectiveness of Alerts and Dynamically Annotated Visualizations (DAVs) in Improving Clinical Decision Making.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two types of real-time decision support, an interrupting pop-up alert and a noninterrupting dynamically annotated visualization (DAV), in reducing clinically inappropriate diagnostic imaging orders.

Background: Alerts in electronic health record software are frequently disregarded due to high false-alarm rates, interruptions, and uncertainty about what triggered the alert. In other settings, providing visualizations and improving understandability of the guidance has been shown to improve overall decision making.

Perceived barriers to online education by radiologic science educators.

Background: Radiologic science programs continue to adopt the use of blended online education in their curricula, with an increase in the use of online courses since 2009. However, perceived barriers to the use of online education formats persist in the radiologic science education community.

Purpose: An electronic survey was conducted to explore the current status of online education in the radiologic sciences and to identify barriers to providing online courses.

Determining the rate of change in exposure to ionizing radiation from CT Scans: a database analysis from one hospital.

Purpose: Cancer risks associated with radiation from CT procedures have recently received increased attention. An important question is whether the combined impact of CT volume and dose reduction strategies has reduced radiation exposure to adult patients undergoing CT examinations. The aim of this study was to determine differences in radiation exposure from 2008 to 2012 to patients receiving CT scans of the abdomen, head, sinus, and lumbar spine at a midwestern academic medical center that implemented dose reduction strategies.

Online course delivery modes and design methods in the radiologic sciences.

Purpose: To determine the current status of online education in the radiologic sciences and to explore learning management systems, course design methods, and online educational tools used in the radiologic sciences.

Methods: A random sample of 373 educators from Joint Review Committee-accredited radiography, radiation therapy, and nuclear medicine technology educational programs was invited to participate in this study with an online survey.

Results: The majority of the programs responding to the survey do not offer online core courses.

Influence of gender, age, and social norm on digital imaging use.

Background: The adoption of digital imaging technology is a critical investment decision, and problems related to employee acceptance of the technology often are underestimated. Literature indicates that subjective normative factors, gender differences, and age may affect employee acceptance and use of new technology. Thus, understanding these influential factors is highly important to organizations.

Trends in patient information preferences and acquisition.

Background: Americans have access to medical information from a variety of sources, including readily accessible information on the Internet. As the American population's trust in online sources changes over time, it is possible that their cancer information-seeking preferences and behaviors also may change.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to assess longitudinal trends in cancer information-seeking preferences and behaviors based on data collected in 3 Health Information National Trends Surveys (HINTS) administered by the National Cancer Institute.

The role of cognitive and learning theories in supporting successful EHR system implementation training: a qualitative study.

Given persistent barriers to effective electronic health record (EHR) system implementation and use, the authors investigated implementation training practices in six organizations reputed to have ambulatory care EHR system implementation "best practices." Using the lenses of social cognitive and adult learning theories, they explored themes related to EHR implementation training using qualitative data collected through 43 key informant interviews and 6 physician focus groups conducted between February 2009 and December 2010. The authors found consistent evidence that training practices across the six organizations known for exemplary implementations were congruent with the tenets of these theoretical frameworks and highlight seven best practices for training.

Perceptions of the use of critical thinking teaching methods.

Objective: To identify the perceived level of competence in teaching and assessing critical thinking skills and the difficulties facing radiologic science program directors in implementing student-centered teaching methods.

Methods: A total of 692 program directors received an invitation to complete an electronic survey soliciting information regarding the importance of critical thinking skills, their confidence in applying teaching methods and assessing student performance, and perceived obstacles. Statistical analysis included descriptive data, correlation coefficients, and ANOVA.

Review of teaching methods and critical thinking skills.

Background: Critical information is needed to inform radiation science educators regarding successful critical thinking educational strategies. From an evidence-based research perspective, systematic reviews are identified as the most current and highest level of evidence. Analysis at this high level is crucial in analyzing those teaching methods most appropriate to the development of critical thinking skills.

Moving from good to great in ambulatory electronic health record implementation.

Despite a good general understanding of the need to ensure provider adoption and use of electronic health record (EHR) systems, many implementations fall short of expectations, and little is known about effective approaches in the ambulatory care area. We aimed to comprehensively study and synthesize best practices for ambulatory EHR system implementation in healthcare organizations, emphasizing strategies that maximize physician adoption and use. Following an extensive literature review, we held 47 key informant interviews with representatives of six U.

Undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma: a case report.

Background: Undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma (UES) is the fourth most common hepatic malignancy diagnosed in children, but is extremely rare in older patients. Classification of the tumor is difficult because of its unknown etiology.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe a case of UES in a 19-year-old pregnant woman with UES who delivered a stillborn fetus and passed away because of UES, and how medical imaging can be used to help differentially diagnose UES.

Subjective normative factors impacting technology adoption in an imaging department: implications for practice.

Understanding the conditions in which new technologies will be embraced by employees is vital, as simply acquiring the new technology does not necessarily equate to its effective utilization. Administrators must have the ability to identify, predict, and manage employee acceptance of technology in order to successfully facilitate implementation efforts. Implementation of a new technology directly affects employees.

Exposure indicator degradation from CR plate processing delays.

Purpose: To determine the percentage of exposure indicator (EI) degradation that occurs during a delay between exposure and processing of the imaging receptor.

Methods: Twenty-six images of a hand phantom, stepwedge and resolution test tool were created using a computed radiography (CR) system (Agfa Impax 6.3.

Perceptions of required advanced skills.

Context: An electronic survey was conducted to identify the most important nonclinical skills currently required of radiologic technologists to better prepare baccalaureate radiography graduates to meet workplace demands.

Results: Survey results of American Healthcare Radiology Administrators (AHRA) members in the Midwestern United States indicate that skills pertaining to departmental systems and human resources administration are of greatest importance, regardless of geographic location.

Conclusion: An emphasis on medical informatics, diversity and health care communication would benefit both radiography graduates and radiology departments.

Teaching critical-thinking skills through group-based learning.

Context: Critical-thinking skills require the radiographer to analyze, evaluate and synthesize situations to determine a course of action most beneficial to the patient.

Objective: For radiography educators, it is important to understand how critical-thinking skills are acquired during the educational process for each student to reach his or her maximum potential.

Method: Various teaching strategies such as problem-based learning are reviewed and discussed in this article.