What is CT Repeat by Qaelum?

The vendor-neutral CT Repeat analysis software monitors how CT scans are performed in practice. Based on an algorithm originally developed by the University of Wisconsin , it identifies unnecessarily repeated scans and highlights the protocols that require intervention. Its advanced analytics provide direct insights into the costs and the overall impact on the efficiency of the department with the goal of continuous quality improvement.

Why CT Repeat by Qaelum?

The CT Repeat analysis module is based on patented technology originally developed by the University of Wisconsin . It identifies protocols that contain scans that are often repeated, while differentiating between clinically relevant repeated scans and superfluous ones. Recent publications show that this is a hidden and often overlooked problem in hospitals that should be addressed. Numerical results indicate that medical imaging departments have resources loss due to this, while the patients get additional radiation dose and potentially contrast dose, which add uncontrolled risks and compromise the exam safety. The CT Repeat software is the ideal solution to assess how CT rooms operate, assess the financial and other liabilities due to unnecessarily repeated scans and achieve productivity gains and optimal performance.

Key points of CT Repeat by Qaelum

• Automatically collect and analyse CT data of all major manufacturers
• Evaluate the current repeat rates and look for trends
• Assess efficiency losses
• Simplify execution of improvement plans using actionable insights
• Maintain proper usage

Automated data collection

• Vendor-neutral data collection of all major CT manufacturers
• Built-in scheduler system allows for automated CT Repeat analysis for pre-defined periods

Evaluate the current repeat rates

• Important metrics on the analyzed studies and the identified repeated scans offer an overview at a glance.
• The intuitive interface allows for an easy and quick navigation in the different types of calculated repeat rates.
• Flexible filtering and automated insights allow for thorough monitoring of the calculated repeat rates at hospital, scanner, operator and protocol level.
• Differentiating on repeat rates per acquisition type indicates which finding is more crucial to consider and what kind of intervention it requires.
• Clinically relevant repeats are excluded with a click to avoid having false positives results. This way, potential high repeat rates which should not be considered problematic are avoided and the real repeat rate is calculated.

Assess efficiency losses

• Direct calculation of the efficiency based on relevant indices.
• How long does a study last? What is the impact on time duration when unnecessary scans are involved? These questions are turned into numbers and the estimated impact on financial liability is quantified.
• Modifying simulation parameters, like the number of staff involved or the hourly cost of the device, allows to reevaluate and compare.
• Evaluating how other key performance indicators are also affected, helps to easier work towards optimization.
• These metrics depicting the actual situation of the department offer an invaluable assistant to the management to acknowledge potential problems through tangible insights.

Simplify improvement execution

• Going beyond simple monitoring, this module allows to act upon findings.
• A high repeat rate protocol which requires optimization, an operator who needs extra training or a device with reduced performance are examples of findings subject to improvement tasks.
• Directly creating an improvement when high repeat rates and reduced efficiency are identified, helps to act fast and have everything centralized in one platform while monitoring the execution.
• Simplify the creation of improvement plans by defining report templates
• Following what has been found in the literature and setting internal targets based on the actual findings of the repeat rates in the department will help the team to understand the associated costs and be more engaged.
• Recording the before and after situation, as well as the actions taken, allows to show documented proof of the constant quality improvements.

Maintain proper usage

• Static monitoring of repeat rates is not enough. To have a better view of the situation, a trend over time is provided.
• Flexible trend lines allow to easily navigate through all the points in time when data was analyzed or through a selected time frame.
• The user can assess how the repeated scans evolve in time and how targeted interventions influenced the practice.
• By filtering, the analysis over time can focus on specific scanners, protocols, study descriptions, operators for an easier understanding of the situation.
• Advanced reporting ensures disseminating the findings to relevant stakeholders to acknowledge continuous quality improvement and actions towards excellence.