Imaging technology platforms are essential for healthcare institutions and practices. Computerised (or computed) tomography (CT) represents an important imaging method that numerous physicians refer their patients to, in order to obtain valuable diagnostic data. Hospitals that offer CT scan services to outpatients, can expect a significant financial benefit. On the other hand, there are numerous private radiology services, which represent a significant competition force. This management report will primarily focus on the NHS environment, which employs about 90% of the currently registered radiographers. It is common for CT scanner services to experience excessively long waiting lists, which result in patient’ and doctor dissatisfaction. Data shows that the demand for such services is increasing, while the resources and/or capacity of the current infrastructure remain the same or in decline. UK radiology services are now expected to operate efficiently with lower financial support, combined with increasing cost pressures.

Enhancing CT scan capacity (productivity) and reducing waiting lists can be achieved in several ways. Perhaps the most financially efficient way is to consider solutions that do not involve the purchasing of new equipment. This solution would require more patients to be scanned per hour, longer scanning schedules or (ideally) both solutions combined, which would be expected to have the biggest impact in CT capacity. During the CT operation, technologists undertake the most significant aspect of the service and their professional education can have a significant impact on the CT capacity. Literature shows that additional training of technologists can reduce the error rates, which result in fewer requests for extra scanning by the radiologists and physicians and increase patient throughput. Given the appropriate training, CT technologists could also expedite the recognition of common CT scan patterns that require further imaging; this could result in the technologist performing this extra scan immediately, without the involvement of a radiologist requesting an extra scan. Also, training technologists in efficiently using the IT (PACS) and supporting software can increase the productivity of the department. The financial implications for increasing the CT productivity are significant. Ensuring that technologists’ knowledge and relevant IT expertise are up to date can result in more efficient use of allocated slots, reduced rate of errors and rejections and physician and patient satisfaction. Previous experience in the NHS context has shown that the increase in CT scan productivity is immediate (within 1-2 months), which quickly covers the cost of the technologists’ training. Employers are expected to support CPD for technologists, according to the service provided.

Introduction

CT scanning platforms often experience long waiting lists. This has been well documented in publications originating from within medical institutions and popular newspapers as well. Long waiting lists for CT scans can negatively affect the survival rates of certain groups of patients, such as cancer patients, but it could also act as a serious deterrent for outpatients and push them towards private competitors. NHS senior managers reported that the waiting times are expected to further increase; in comparison to 2010, almost 5 times more patients had to wait for simple diagnostic tests such as a CT scan. The Daily Mail newspaper (2011) published an article exposing the fact that almost 16,000 patients every month are forced to wait more than six weeks for a CT scan. Silvester and Steyn (2008) report that the current situation is either due to increased average demand without an equivalent available capacity or a mismatch of capacity and demand, which is more often the case for CT scanners.

A PEST (political, economic, social and technology factors) analysis can identify several reasons for this extensive dysfunction. Although the current coalition government has promised to support the increasing health costs, Grant et al. (2012) anticipate a significant change in the NHS budget in the coming years; in 2011 alone, the NHS budget was reduced by 20%. Dickson (2009) confirms that the NHS is in the middle of a serious financial crisis. The author believes that unless productivity is significantly increased, the NHS will not meet the current and future demands for health care. Hospitals are already forced to operate under tight budgets, which inevitably results in changes in staffing and resources dedicated to diagnostic services. Given the current financial state, it is obvious that solutions that improve the CT scan capacity with minimal cost will be preferred and studied first. From a social point of view, the consumers (patients) are becoming more accepting towards radiology imaging technologies and show more