Connected: Using a Novel In-House Communication System to Efficiently Deliver Imaging Results

Introduction: The primary objective was to investigate the effectiveness of a fully staffed electronic communication system (1Connect) in delivering timely critical imaging results and incidental findings. The secondary objective was to evaluate the financial impact of this system on a radiology practice. Methods: From January 2014 through June 2016, the 1Connect database was retrospectively reviewed and sorted by category of submission type: Critical (1-hour communication time), STAT (2 hours), or Unexpected finding (3 business days). The percent of successful communications completed within the appropriate time frame was calculated for each priority category and used as a measure of the system’s efficiency and effectiveness. The financial impact of 1Connect was then estimated using an average radiologist salary in Portland, Maine, combined with the radiologist time saved using this system. Results: More than 96% of time-sensitive results (critical and STAT categories) were communicated within their predetermined time limits with the 1Connect system. Using this system, the estimated value of radiologist time saved by 1Connect staff was approximately $50 997 per year. Conclusions: Spectrum Radiology’s 1Connect system presents a novel approach that supports timely and cost-effective communication of imaging findings to treating providers. While patient outcomes and safety were not evaluated in this study, patient care is likely enhanced when critical findings are promptly communicated to referring providers

Genetic influences on schizophrenia and subcortical brain volumes:Large-scale proof of concept

Schizophrenia is a devastating psychiatric illness with high heritability. Brain structure and function differ, on average, between people with schizophrenia and healthy individuals. As common genetic associations are emerging for both schizophrenia and brain imaging phenotypes, we can now use genome-wide data to investigate genetic overlap. Here we integrated results from common variant studies of schizophrenia (33,636 cases, 43,008 controls) and volumes of several (mainly subcortical) brain structures (11,840 subjects). We did not find evidence of genetic overlap between schizophrenia risk and subcortical volume measures either at the level of common variant genetic architecture or for single genetic markers. These results provide a proof of concept (albeit based on a limited set of structural brain measures) and define a roadmap for future studies investigating the genetic covariance between structural or functional brain phenotypes and risk for psychiatric disorders