Efficiency can increase a veterinary practice’s income by allowing more patients to be seen or more procedures such as radiographs to be performed.

Additionally, it may lead to an increased average charge per patient—which can improve a practice’s bottom line while delivering excellent patient care.

When it comes to radiographs, here are five ways to increase efficiency…

Start With the Best Equipment for Your Practice’s Needs

Having good, well-functioning equipment can really make life easier for a veterinarian and their team. After all, slower machines and image processors can increase the time per shot. And equipment that’s not operating at its best may lead to frustrating retakes—or even to rescheduling a procedure.

To maximize the usefulness of radiography equipment at a veterinary practice, start by taking an inventory of which equipment is there, including: generator, table, plate or cassette, film processor or digital image software, etc.

Next, evaluate each piece of equipment with the following questions:

• How is the equipment functioning right now?

• If not working well, can repairs or maintenance solve the issue—and what is the cost?

• Is there any routine maintenance due to be performed?

• Does anything need to be replaced—and is it the whole system, or just one specific component?

• Would an upgrade improve efficiency? For example, upgrading from film to digital x-rays can save a lot of time that would otherwise be spent processing films.
  

  Develop Standard Protocols and Techniques

If certain procedures are performed infrequently or don’t have a standard set of protocols to follow, this may lead to confusion, inconsistency, or errors—all of which can waste time and cause frustration.

To make things more efficient, it helps to have standard protocols for team members to follow, which have been properly explained to them. Protocols may include:

• Specific instructions for patient positioning for different radiographic views, such as thorax, hip, spine, etc.

• Guidelines for effective patient restraint while minimizing the staff’s exposure to radiation. For example, be sure the team knows how to properly use positioning aids such as sandbags and tape. 

• If patients are sedated, be sure to have a minimum standard for patient monitoring, with prepared monitoring sheets a team member can easily pick up and use for their monitoring notes.

• Have a standard technique chart, or make sure the team knows how to properly set up an x-ray study using a digital program that automatically sets technique. This includes explaining how to measure a patient in the position in which they will be radiographed.

  Have the Right Resources Available for Radiographic Interpretation

This may include textbooks and other references for what is normal on each radiographic view and what is not. 

Access to a second opinion can also be very valuable. Try to create a collaborative environment where veterinary colleagues within the practice can help each other discuss and interpret radiographs. Consider subscribing to an online forum such as the Veterinary Information Network (VIN), where a vet can post their radiographs for a second opinion. Or, consider using a teleradiology consultation service with veterinary radiologists.

Practice Makes Perfect

Efficiency in taking and interpreting radiographs will improve over time, with practice. So even if fitting more radiographs into a busy schedule feels time-consuming at the beginning, it will get to be second nature over time. 

The same is true with x-ray image interpretation—many vets become faster and more proficient with practice. Also, be sure to study the radiographs of normal patients, to gain a thorough understanding of all the different ways normal anatomy can look in different sizes and breeds of veterinary patients.

Plan for Conversations With Clients

If pet owners are unsure about proceeding with radiographs—especially when sedation is required—the conversation can take up a lot of time for veterinarians and their team members. By planning what to say and gaining comfort with these conversations, time can be saved while providing patients with the care they need. Also, clients may feel more comfortable if everything is explained in just the right way.

Efficient x-ray conversation techniques may include general principles for good communication (active listening, empathy, non-verbal communication, etc.), as well as proactively discussing the answers to commonly asked questions and concerns. For example, explain how sedation not only makes the radiographs more detailed and accurate—it also makes the procedure less scary and more comfortable for a dog or cat.

Putting all these principles together, a veterinary team may find the whole x-ray process becomes more efficient. This is good for team morale, as it helps to keep the day running as smoothly as possible. It can also increase a practice’s bottom line over time while providing excellent care for patients. For all these reasons, it’s usually well worth it for a veterinary practice to invest in radiographic efficiency!

Written by: Dr. Tammy Powell, DVM