How Better Radiology Schedules Helped Grow Service Lines

Background

A 60-physician radiology group affiliated with a state’s largest health system covers multiple locations across various subspecialties. It also includes six APPs and offers a full range of imaging services for patients of all ages.

Challenge

The radiology group was using another automated scheduling solution to create a standard monthly schedule. However, they were still manually building complex vacation and holiday schedules before automating on-call shifts.

When a new Lead Scheduling Physician assumed the task of building the monthly schedule, it quickly became clear how time-consuming and inefficient the process was—especially when accounting for holidays, vacations, provider preferences, multiple locations, and varied shift types. Frustrated with the inefficiency, the physician sought a new solution that could optimize and auto-generate schedules with reduced manual input to streamline the process from start to finish.

Implementation

The health system is extensive and includes about 20 hospitals, 300 physician practice sites, and two clinically integrated networks with over 4,500 providers. The radiology department wasn’t the only department that needed to find a solution capable of managing enterprise-level scheduling complexities. As long-time users of PerfectServe’s clinical communication platform, the health system evaluated Lightning Bolt for its potential to streamline scheduling and integrate with communication workflows.

After deciding on Lightning Bolt's healthcare scheduling software, the organization initiated a rapid enterprise-wide solution deployment. Using a ‘rip and replace’ approach, implementation teams rolled the solution out to over 2,100 providers in just three months.

Dedicated technical consultants supported each department to ensure proper implementation and user training. The radiology department’s Lead Scheduling Physician and others collaborated with the Lightning Bolt team to optimize schedules, improve workflows, and continue refining processes to save time and enhance work-life balance for providers.

Results

Conclusion

In just three months, the radiology group overhauled its scheduling protocols, streamlining nearly the entire process. With Lightning Bolt now managing complexities like gap credits, time off, and shift swaps, the team has reclaimed valuable time and improved overall efficiency.

The Lead Scheduling Physician’s team plans to explore additional opportunities for efficiency gains and leverage Lightning Bolt’s integration with PerfectServe’s clinical communication platform to automate alerting for significant imaging findings. The entire care team is highly satisfied with the improvements, and with more potential to unlock greater functionality in the future, this project highlights how optimized scheduling can directly contribute to better outcomes.

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