Communication of actionable information.

Many health care stakeholders consider the radiologist’s central role to be that of creating timely, meaningful, and actionable reports. Attaining this goal is a complex process, requiring an operational workflow that is high-quality, safe, and efficient, which enables the radiologist to synthesize all relevant clinical information into a concise and precisely structured document. The radiologist’s role, however, should not stop there. A report creates little value until it is delivered, read, and correctly understood by all appropriate stakeholders (not just referring physicians but increasingly patients, too). Only then can information be used to have an impact on patient outcomes. This series has used the concept of the imaging value chain to help radiologists understand the nature of their business, evaluate gaps in their workflow, and identify best-practice solutions to deliver appropriateness, quality, safety, efficiency, and patient satisfaction— the 5 pillars of Imaging 3.0. This segment focuses on the final link in that chain, and one that is perhaps the weakest: effective communication of actionable information.