Reporting workflow modeling

The radiology diagnostic reporting is a process that results in generating a diagnostic report to be made available outside the radiology department. The report captures the radiologist’s interpretations and impressions. It is an element of the patient healthcare record and represents important clinical information to assist in healthcare decisions. The reporting process is initiated by the existence of images or other radiology evidences to be interpreted. The work of individuals is controlled by systems that manage workflow. These systems may introduce delays or constraints on how and when tasks are performed. In order to design and implement efficient information systems that manage the reporting workflow, an accurate workflow modeling is needed. Workflow modeling consists in describing what is done by whom and in what sequence, that is the roles, tasks and sequences of tasks. The workflow model is very important and has major consequences. An inaccurate model introduces inefficiencies, frustrations and may result in a useless information system. In this paper, we will model several common reporting workflows by describing the roles, tasks and information flows involved.