Management decisions of an Academic Radiology Department during COVID-19 pandemic: the important support of a business analytics software

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the response in the management of both radiological emergencies and continuity of care in oncologic/fragile patients of a radiology department of Sant’Andrea Academic Hospital in Rome supported by a dedicated business analytics software during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Imaging volumes and workflows for 2019 and 2020 were analyzed. Information was collected from the hospital data warehouse and evaluated using a business analytics software, aggregated both per week and per quarter, stratified by patient service location (emergency department, inpatients, outpatients) and imaging modality. For emergency radiology subunit, radiologist workload, machine workload, and turnaround times (TATs) were also analyzed. RESULTS: Total imaging volume in 2020 decreased by 21.5% compared to that in 2019 (p < .001); CT in outpatients increased by 11.7% (p < .005). Median global TAT and median code-blue global TAT were not statistically significantly different between 2019 and 2020 and between the first and the second pandemic waves in 2020 (all p > .09). Radiologist workload decreased by 24.7% (p < .001) during the first pandemic wave in 2020 compared with the same weeks of 2019 and showed no statistically significant difference during the second pandemic wave, compared with the same weeks of 2019 (p = 0.19). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the reduction of total imaging volume due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 compared to 2019, management decisions supported by a dedicated business analytics software allowed to increase the number of CT in fragile/oncologic outpatients without significantly affecting emergency radiology TATs, and emergency radiologist workload. KEY POINTS: • During the COVID-19 pandemic, management decisions supported by business analytics software guaranteed efficiency of emergency and preservation of fragile/oncologic patient continuity of care. • Real-time data monitoring using business analytics software is essential for appropriate management decisions in a department of radiology. • Business analytics should be gradually introduced in all healthcare institutions to identify strong and weak points in workflow taking correct decisions. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00330-022-08709-3.