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Diagnostic reading room gets makeover by Heather Woolwine Public Relations Stiff necks, headaches, bad lighting, a loud air conditioning unit, and five cramped little stations once depicted the diagnostic reading room on the third floor of the main hospital.   Not anymore.   “Most radiology department reading rooms were designed decades ago to accommodate alternators for film-based X-ray imaging,” said Philip Costello, M.D., Radiology chair and professor. “As we have evolved from film to a fully PACS-based digital environment, it became obvious that we needed to completely redesign our work environment.”   Jonathan Kraas, M.D., Radiology resident, concentrates while seated at one of the new reading room stations while Jay Crawford, Radiology Informatics manager, stands checking computer software and station functionality. Today’s reading room now harbors eight, three-monitor computer stations, appropriate lighting compliant with current radiology standards, central air conditioning, and customized work spaces that mold to whether a physician desires to stand or sit while he/she  works.   Another problem with the old room was its small size, as physicians crammed in front of workstations and had to dictate with noise and other distractions. The new reading room is almost triple the size of the old space. As Jay Crawford, Radiology Informatics manger said, stiff necks, headaches, and tight quarters are history.   “In designing this room, it was extremely important to incorporate function in every aspect,” he said. “The ergonomics are what make this room a comfortable, efficient, and ideal place to interpret patient examinations.”   Ergonomics mean taking evidence-based information and research about best practices involving human physical and engineering data and using that information to solve problems encountered with technology.   Plenty of literature exists on the subject; the trick was figuring out what worked best for MUSC.   If physicians attempt to read studies with inadequate lighting, Jurassic-aged viewing stations, and ineffective air circulation and cooling in a reading room, then productivity suffers. It’s easy to imagine what could occur; people taking extra time during breaks to get away from the space, and complaints or even worker’s compensation claims flowing into the human resources department.   For MUSC, remodeling the old reading room involved careful selection of vendors and products that reflected physician and technologic needs, as well as products that would serve to strengthen reading room performance.   New generation, high-brightness, active matrix LCD display monitors enable physicians to adjust the screen lighting to what is comfortable for them. Work stations not only adjust to height and a variety of other specifications, but integrate many systems into one area within easy reach of the person using it.   Keeping the room at a consistent temperature helps physicians concentrate and remain comfortable, and it also serves to benefit equipment life expectancy. Partitions in the new reading room enable easy individual work or group collaboration, and absorb light and sound. Additional benefits of this redesigned space will become apparent when voice recognition systems are employed for transcription of radiology examinations.   “The tables are adjustable, monitors can be tilted and moved to accommodate whoever uses them, and desk space allows residents and students more room to conduct their work,” Crawford said.   “It’s customized to today’s technology as opposed to a makeshift environment,” Costello said.   Friday, Jan. 6, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.