New guidelines envision evolution of the imaging reading environment
RedRick Technologies, a provider of ergonomic radiology furniture and reading room guidance, released an updated planning guide designed to assist health systems in optimizing medical imaging reading spaces.
This 2018 updated edition, “Medical Imaging Reading Environment Optimization; A Planning Guide,” was created in collaboration with CannonDesign. The new guidance is partially based on the fact that medical imaging takes place in many areas of the health system.
“Proper reading room location can significantly enhance communication between radiologists and their customers, which increasingly includes patients and referring physicians,” the report states. “This leads to improved quality of care and customer service, both of which can increase the long-term value of radiology.”
The planning guide emphasizes how to institute sound ergonomic principles to eliminate repetitive stress injuries that impact physician health and well-being. Among the various sections in the guide are universal design goals, reading room design guidelines and a look at the future of reading room design.
“In our opinion, the dedicated radiology reading rooms we know today will evolve into spaces where clinicians do more than simply interpret radiology information,” the report states. “They will return to being spaces where interdisciplinary clinical care teams collaborate, but now around the idea of all-encompassing intelligent patient models.”
Download the full report here.
Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.