RoboRad – a real-time system for monitoring and analysis of PACS reporting room occupancy and workstation utilisation

PACS diagnostic reporting workstations are expensive resources that often cannot be afforded and made available to every reporting radiologist on a one-to-one basis. In our institution, the ratio of available workstations to potential reporting radiologists is one to three, which is not ideal for a productive and efficient radiology operation. The workstations are located in designated reporting rooms scattered throughout the institution. In peak usage time radiologists often have to look around in exasperation to find a free workstation on which to report. Planning and managing an efficient and cost-effective reporting activity requires real-time and cumulative reporting rooms occupancy and workstations utilisation data. We have developed an in-house system that provides users and managers with real-time information on availability and locations of PACS workstations. It also provides cumulative historical workstation usage data to assist in developing strategy and policies for an efficient utilisation of PACS reporting rooms.

The system has also proved a useful tool in monitoring the reporting room occupancy for social distancing in the COVID-19 age. Reporters can check the occupancy of the reporting rooms and make an informed decision in selecting the safest room for reporting.

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