Study comments: Workflow applications

Study comments are a free-text record that allow communication both within the radiology department and with other departments. For example, emergency (ER) physicians can record additional information in the study comments that the radiologist needs to make an accurate diagnosis.

Study comments and radiology workflows

As a study log, study comments can be used for various radiology workflows. For example:

Often, emergency (ER) physicians make a preliminary diagnosis (or wet read) on a study to continue patient care. To communicate this diagnosis to radiology, the ER physician can use study comments. The comments are stored as a permanent part of the medical record.
Some sites use comments to identify which patients require CDs of their images so the department can manage and fulfill these requests.
Some teaching hospitals use study comments as a place for residents to record an initial diagnosis before the study is read by the attending physicians.

To support repetitive workflows, the site can create a set of favorite study comments.

PACS study comments and RIS comments

Study comments can be added through the RIS or through the PACS. Sometimes comments can also be added at the modality and then sent through the RIS. Typically, RIS comments are not as important to radiologists. For example, the scheduler may add a comment when entering the order in the RIS that a patient needs a CD for his family physician.

But, comments added by users of the PACS system, such as those from an ER physician, are extremely important to radiologists interpreting the study.

Therefore, PACS study comments are available in the Study Comments tab of the Report panel and are editable. The RIS comments are available in the Study Highlights and Study panels of the Text area, if configured appropriately, but are not editable.

Private study comments

Some study comments are considered sensitive in nature and not all users need to have access to those comments. The private study comments functionality addresses these situations on a role level by allowing sites to keep sensitive comments as part of the patient's records while ensuring that only selected roles have access to the comments. If a roles does not have the Private Study Comments operation, any study comments marked as private are hidden.