NHS Trust Success Story

Large NHS Trust Reduces Follow-Up Delays by 67% with RadAssist AI

How a busy radiology department serving 850,000 patients transformed their post-imaging workflow, eliminated spreadsheet tracking, and saved £180k annually.

South East England
850,000 patient catchment
6-month pilot (2024)

Key Results

67%

Reduction in Follow-Up Delays

Average closure time dropped from 21 days to 7 days

42%

Fewer Repeat Scans

Prevented 340 unnecessary repeat examinations

£180k

Annual Savings

Reduced admin costs and avoided outsourcing

The Challenge

The Trust's radiology department was processing over 180,000 imaging studies annually, with approximately 12% requiring follow-up actions—ranging from repeat scans to specialist referrals.

Their existing process relied on a combination of:

  • Excel spreadsheets maintained by three different admin teams
  • Email chains between radiologists, booking staff, and clinicians
  • Manual diary checks to track overdue actions
  • Paper letters for patient communications

Critical Issues Identified:

  • • Average 21-day delay from report to follow-up action
  • • 8-12% of follow-ups missed or significantly delayed
  • • Rising DNA rates (18%) due to poor communication
  • • No visibility of backlog or SLA breaches
  • • 2.5 FTE admin staff overwhelmed with manual tracking

The Solution

The Trust piloted RadAssist AI across their CT and MRI pathways, starting with incidental findings and timed follow-ups.

Implementation Approach

  • Week 1-2:IG approval, SSO setup, and HL7 feed configuration
  • Week 3-4:Pathway rules defined with clinical lead and booking managers
  • Week 5-6:Staff training and parallel running with existing spreadsheets
  • Week 7+:Full go-live with daily monitoring and optimization

Key Features Deployed

Automated action capture from RIS reports
Rule-based task assignment by modality
Shared worklists for booking teams
Automated SMS/email reminders
DNA recovery workflows
Real-time backlog dashboard

The Results

After six months of operation, the Trust measured significant improvements across all key metrics:

Follow-Up Speed

Average time from report to action completion dropped from 21 days to 7 days (67% reduction)

98% of urgent follow-ups now completed within 48 hours

Repeat Scan Reduction

340 unnecessary repeat scans prevented through better tracking and timely follow-ups

Estimated savings: £85k in scan costs + reduced patient radiation exposure

DNA Rate Improvement

DNA rate reduced from 18% to 11% through proactive SMS/email reminders

156 additional patients attended appointments over 6 months

Admin Efficiency

1.2 FTE admin time saved through automation of tracking and chasing

Staff redeployed to patient-facing booking and support roles

Sustainability Impact

4,200 paper letters eliminated through digital communications

Estimated 2.1 tonnes CO₂e avoided (paper, postage, travel for repeat scans)

"RadAssist AI has transformed how we manage post-imaging follow-ups. What used to take three people juggling spreadsheets is now handled automatically, with full visibility and accountability. We've cleared our backlog, reduced repeat scans significantly, and most importantly, we know nothing is falling through the cracks. It's been a game-changer for patient safety and staff morale."

Dr. Sarah Mitchell

Clinical Lead for Radiology

Large NHS Trust, South East England

What Made It Work

1

Clinical Leadership Buy-In

The Clinical Lead championed the project from day one, ensuring pathway rules reflected real clinical workflows and securing radiologist engagement.

2

Phased Rollout

Starting with CT/MRI incidental findings allowed the team to prove value quickly before expanding to other modalities and pathways.

3

Staff Training & Support

Dedicated training sessions for booking staff and ongoing support during the first month ensured smooth adoption and confidence in the new system.

4

Clear KPI Tracking

Weekly dashboard reviews with the service manager kept the team focused on outcomes and allowed rapid optimization of rules and workflows.

5

Integration with Existing Systems

RadAssist AI worked alongside the Trust's RIS and EPR without requiring replacement or major changes, minimizing disruption and technical risk.

Next Steps for the Trust

Following the successful pilot, the Trust is now:

  • Expanding to all modalities including X-ray, ultrasound, and nuclear medicine
  • Integrating fracture clinic pathways for end-to-end orthopaedic follow-up management
  • Sharing learnings with ICS partners to support regional adoption
  • Pursuing DTAC approval for full enterprise deployment

Ready to transform your radiology workflow?

See how RadAssist AI can help your Trust reduce delays, cut costs, and improve patient safety.

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