Time and flow study results before and after installation of a hospital information system and radiology information system and before clinical use of a picture archiving and communication system.

The effectiveness of a hospital information system (HIS) and a radiological information system (RIS) was evaluated to optimize preparation for the planned full clinical operation of a picture archiving and communication system (PACS), which is now linked experimentally to the HIS and the RIS. One thousand IC (integrated circuit) cards were used for time studies and flow studies in the hospital. Measurements were performed on image examination order entry, image examination, reporting, and image delivery times. Even though after the HIS and the RIS operation only a small amount of time savings were realized in each time fraction component, such as in the patient movement time, examination time, and film delivery time, the total turn-around time was shortened markedly, by more than 23 hours on average. It was verified that the HIS and the RIS was beneficial in the outpatient clinics of the orthopedic department. Our method of measurement employing IC cards before and after HIS and RIS operations can be applied in other hospitals.