Radiologist workloads in teaching hospital departments: measuring the workload

Abstract

This article proposes a practical method for measuring staff radiologist workloads (clinical productivity) in teaching hospital departments of radiology in Australia. It reviews the Australian background to this, including the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) Education Board accreditation guidelines and the development of the RANZCR practice costing model. It reviews overseas methods of radiologist workload measurement and trends in radiologist workloads both in Australia and overseas. It proposes a practical and simple workload measuring method based on relative value units derived from the RANZCR model. Using a previous national workload survey in teaching hospitals, it proposes initial workload benchmarks when using this method. Strengths and weaknesses of this method and alternatives are reviewed, and a number of proposals for Australian teaching radiology departments are put forward to advance the issue of radiologist workloads in a disciplined manner.