Creating a unified radiology workflow

Radiology workflows are evolving rapidly, driven by the healthcare industry’s need for not just greater efficiency but also diagnostic accuracy and collaboration. However, the increasing volume and complexity of imaging processes can hamper efficiency and accuracy within radiology departments. Many radiologists and clinicians still must navigate and manage multiple, disparate software systems to find information. This not only hinders workflow but also has the potential to increase errors, care delays and overall workplace frustration. A unified radiology workflow can help solve this complicated challenge. Integrated radiology workflows streamline and consolidate processes to enhance collaboration among care teams, helping to improve both patient outcome and clinician productivity. With a consolidated platform that integrates various systems and tools, radiologists and hospital staff have seamless access to imaging data and reports which is shown to improve communication, collaboration, decision-making and patient care.

A radiology workflow refers to the steps involved in an imaging examination, from patient scheduling to report distribution. The key stages of this workflow include:

Traditionally, radiology departments relied on multiple specialized systems for imaging, reporting and data storage. While effective individually, these systems often create information silos, leading to inefficiencies. Consolidating these systems into a single workflow ensures all imaging data, reports, and patient records are accessible in one location, significantly reducing the time spent switching between applications.

Studies have shown that unified workflows address critical challenges through automation and integration, improving efficiency and reducing administrative burdens on radiologists and clinicians. According to the Future Health Index 2024 (FHI), 41% of healthcare leaders are already planning to implement automation for prioritization in the next three years.

Unified radiology workflows offer transformative benefits across healthcare roles, supporting operational efficiency, collaboration, and patient care. The improvements include:

At the center of diagnostic imaging, a radiologist’s diagnostic accuracy and productivity is dependent upon the tools they have at their disposal. A unified workflow offers radiologists:

Referring physicians, they rely on radiology reports to make informed decisions for their patients. For example, an integrated platform allows a physician treating a stroke patient to immediately review the radiologist’s report of the patient’s CT scan, allowing them to facilitate the next treatment decision. With a unified workflow referring physicians can:

Centralized management also allows healthcare Information Technology (IT) staff to work on optimizing technology infrastructure rather than spending time troubleshooting disconnected systems. IT departments gain efficiency and security from a single system workflow that:

All-in-one systems integrate imaging, reporting and communication tools into a single platform, eliminating the inefficiencies of juggling multiple software applications. These systems provide a single view of all patient data, including prior patient history, accessible within an integrated radiology workspace. This seamless access to native or third-party advanced clinical applications across multiple domains accelerates detection and improves collaboration. For example, radiologists can use such platforms to escalate urgent cases, conduct manual searches efficiently and ensure all images and reports are consolidated in one place.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is fundamentally reshaping radiology workflows by automating routine tasks, enhancing diagnostic accuracy, and supporting remote consultations. AI applications, such as Philips AI Manager, [1] can identify abnormalities, measure findings and prioritize critical cases. By automating these repetitive processes, such as lesion segmentation, organ quantification and change tracking over time, radiologists can streamline their everyday tasks and dedicate more time to complex cases.

With its ability to analyze large volumes of data from various imaging modalities, AI also offers insights into delivering more precise and personalized patient care as well as helping predict and prevent disease in the future. By leveraging AI to access data on medical image interpretation and expert opinions, healthcare organizations can empower clinicians across the globe with additional knowledge.

The integration of unified AI platforms, which combine automation and interoperability to improve quality, productivity, and communication, is the future-ready approach to radiology. These platforms enable healthcare organizations to process high volumes of imaging data efficiently by executing multiple AI applications on a single study.

According to the FHI 2024 report, almost 38% of healthcare leaders responded that staff lose precious time consolidating patient data, highlighting the transformative potential of incorporating AI into radiology informatics to address this challenge. Unified workspaces that provide quantified, actionable information ensure faster diagnostic reading and deeper clinical insights, reducing the time spent on labor-intensive tasks.

Investing in these advanced AI-driven radiology workflows is not just about improving efficiency—it’s about transforming patient care. By leveraging these innovations, healthcare organizations can provide faster, more accurate diagnoses, improving outcomes for more patients.

Learn more about Philips Radiology Informatics solutions