RadConnect Communication Application (RadConnect)

The aim is to evaluate the impact of an innovative asynchronous communication application on the number of calls from technologists to radiologists. Even though it is paramount that radiologists be accessible and available to other healthcare workers in the enterprise, frequent interruptions have negative impact on productivity and well-being. A novel communication app was developed that streamlines communication between technologists and radiologists: RadConnect.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Communication
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: RadConnect

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 79

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Netherlands
  • Leiden, Netherlands, 2333 ZA
    • Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC)

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Subjects are not patients, but radiologists, technologist, doctor assistants and physician assistants employeed by LUMC. That drive the radiological workflow and frequently raise and answer questions related to the image acquisition.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Individuals that are employed by LUMC
• Individuals that are radiologists, radiology fellows, radiology residents, radiology technologists, doctor assistants, physician assistants or other support personnel in the Department of Radiology that raise managing image acquisition related questions.
• Individuals that consent to participating in the study.
• Individuals scheduled to work at locations at Sending Extensions, Receiving Extensions and Control Extensions.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Individuals not able to understand or not willing to sign the informed consent form.
• Individuals that indicate that they do no comprehend RadConnect and/or its intended use after two educational sessions.
• Individuals not able to not willing to comply with the intended use of RadConnect.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Case-Crossover
• Time Perspectives: Prospective

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Test the hypothesis that adoption of RadConnect leads to reduction of phone calls to radiologists.	P1 = Mean number of calls per working day during regular working hours between Sending Extensions and Receiving Extensions in Before Phase; P2 = Mean number of calls per working day during regular working hours between Sending Extensions and Receiving Extensions in After Phase The primary endpoint will be obtained by testing the hypothesis that P1 > P2 using Wilcoxon's one-tailed test with significance level P < 0.05.	Numbers are continously measured during each shift of the subjects over a period of 40 consecutive working days during the before (phase 1) and 40 consecutive working days during the after phase (phase 2) of this study.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Compare experiences and attitudes of technicians and radiologists towards RadConnect versus phone calls.	C1 = Mean number of calls per working day during regular working hours between Sending Extensions and Control Extensions in Before Phase; C2 = Mean number of calls per working day during regular working hours between Sending Extensions and Control Extensions in After Phase The first secondary endpoint will be obtained by testing the hypothesis that C1 ≠ C2 using Wilcoxon's two-tailed test with significance level P < 0.05.	Continously measured during each shift of the subjects over a period of 40 consecutive working days during the before (phase 1) and 40 consecutive working days during the after phase(phase 2) of this study.
Measure the characteristics of technician questions raised over phone and through RadConnect.	• R2 = Mean number of completed RadConnect consultations per working day during regular working hours between Sending Extensions and Receiving Extensions in After Phase The second secondary endpoint will be obtained by testing the hypothesis that P1 ≠ P2 + R2 using Wilcoxon's two-tailed test with significance level P < 0.05.	Continously measured during each shift of the subjects over a period of 40 consecutive working days during the before phase (phase 1) and 40 consecutive working days during the after phase (phase 2) of this study.
Consolidated opinion usability and experience of RadConnect in itself and in comparison to alternative communication methods.	The third secondary endpoint will be obtained by aggregating survey responses. In the structured online survey, if more than half of the respondents indicate that they prefer communication over RadConnect to calling, it will be concluded that RadConnect is a viable alternative to calling. If more than half of radiologist respondents indicate that they believe RadConnect helps them avoid interruptions, it will be concluded that RadConnect is a viable alternative to calling that may help reduce radiologist interruptions. The opinions of study participants are captured as Likert scale response and averaged to obtain a consolidated opinion. The consolidated responses are visualized as histograms.	1 hour, after completion of the after phase (phase 2 of this study)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Philips Electronics Nederland B.V. acting through Philips CTO organization
• Collaborators: Leiden University Medical Center
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Hildo Lamb, Prof. Dr., Leiden University Medical Center

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 29, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 13, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): July 13, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 8, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 13, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): September 14, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 21, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 20, 2023
• Last Verified: July 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Radiologists; Radiology Technologists
• Other Study ID Numbers: ICBE-S-000556

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No