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Assessing the Training Costs and Work of Diagnostic Radiology Residents Using Key Performance Indicators – An Observational Study Article

Heilbrun, ME, Poss, B, Boi, L et al. (2020). Assessing the Training Costs and Work of Diagnostic Radiology Residents Using Key Performance Indicators – An Observational Study . ACADEMIC RADIOLOGY, 27(7), 1025-1032. 10.1016/j.acra.2019.08.004

cited authors

  • Heilbrun, ME; Poss, B; Boi, L; Anzai, Y; Hu, N; Kaplan, RS

authors

abstract

  • Rationale and Objectives: To quantify the costs and work of diagnostic radiology (DR) residents using the radiology key performance indicator turn-around time (TAT) as the outcome measure. Materials and Methods: In an Institutional Review Board-approved study, the annual cost of a DR resident was determined using salary, benefits, and a cost allocation of faculty effort. The volume of cases reported in the 2015–16 academic year and median and interquartile range (IQR) TAT for a trainee preliminary (Complete to Prelim, C-P) or an attending final (Complete to Final, C-F) radiology report were measured and stratified by time of day and patient location. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used (significance, p values < 0.05). Results: The annual cost of a DR resident was $99,109, 34% greater than direct salary/benefits and 27% of the direct salary/benefits cost of an attending. The total per minute cost of rendering care was $4.36 with both trainee ($0.70/minute) and faculty ($3.66/minute). Residents participated in 139,084/235,417 (59%) imaging studies. The C-P TAT was 74 (IQR, 27–180) minutes compared to 51 (IQR, 18–129) minutes C-F TAT of faculty working alone and C-F TAT of 213 (IQR, 71–469) minutes with a resident (p < 0.001). The C-P TAT vs C-F TAT between 4 pm–9 am and weekends with residents is 44 (IQR, 18–119) minutes vs 60 (IQR, 18–179) minutes without. Conclusion: The cost of training DR residents exceeds the salary and benefits allocated to their training. Residents increase the absolute professional labor cost of caring for a patient. Overall TAT is slower with residents but the care delivered by residents after-hours is faster.

publication date

  • July 1, 2020

published in

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

start page

  • 1025

end page

  • 1032

volume

  • 27

issue

  • 7