Performing reading tasksTopic number: 1425415118966

Whether dictating with online speech recognition, digital dictation, or typing reports, you report on studies by way of reading tasks. A single reading task can contain one or more studies for which you create a single report.

To report on one or more studies
  1. To start a reading task, do one of the following:

    • From the To do list, select the Reading tasks feed (if it is configured in your Activities overview pane) to display all reading tasks assigned to you, and, on the top toolbar, click Start list.

      The first task is started and displayed in the Text area. STAT! tasks always open first. When you complete a task, the next one starts automatically.

      Whether reading tasks appear in your To do list depends on the task assignment group you belong to.

    • In the List area, select one or more tasks and, on the top toolbar, click Start reading.

      The first selected task is started and displayed in the Text area.

    • In the List area, select a reading task and double-click it.

      Note:

      Double-clicking a reading task automatically starts this task only if, in Tools > Options, Lists, the option Start task is selected for Double-click on study/task.

      The selected task is started and displayed in the Text area.

    Tip:

    To view a reading task without starting it, right-click the task in the List area and select Open.

    Or, if the option Open study/task is selected in Tools > Options, Lists, Double-click on study/task, double-click the task to open it.

  2. In the Text area, review the patient, order, and study information.
  3. If available, consult the comparison studies.

    Normally, these study images open automatically in the Image area, according to hanging protocols and relevancy rules.

  4. Optionally, to add another study to the reading task, select it from the Comparison Studies list.

    Manually adding studies to the reading task results in a single report for all studies in the reading task.

  5. In the Image area, view and compare the study images, including marking any key images.
  6. On the Report tab, select More > Reporting method, and click one of the following values:
    • Online speech recognition
    • Digital dictation
    • Text only
  7. Depending on the reporting method you selected, type or dictate the report.

    The Text area and Image area highlight the study you are dictating a report for.

  8. To complete the reading task, do one of the following.
    • To validate the report, click Sign off.
    • To send the report to the Sign-off list, click Sign off later.
    • If you are working in a multi-author workflow, click To co-author.
    • To request a consultation from a colleague, click To reviewer.
    • To send a typed report for correction, click To correctionist.
    • To send a dictated report for transcription, click To transcriptionist.
    • To select another option, in the top toolbar, click More.
  9. To finish the reading task later, on the toolbar, click Pause.

    The task is paused and appears in your Started tasks list.

  10. To end the reading task in progress without saving changes, on the toolbar click Reset.

    The task is reset and reappears in the To do list of your task assignment group.

    Note:

    If you start performing a reading task, then navigate away without adding any content in the report sections, the task is in progress and appears in your Started tasks list. This task disappears from the Started tasks list when you start a new reading task and create a report. The previously started reading task is automatically reset. It reappears in the To do list of your task assignment group.
  11. By clicking No report needed, you cancel a reading task.

Tip:

To treat patients on a first-come, first-served basis, you can sort tasks in the List or Search area by the patient arrival time. First configure the Patient arrival date/time column in the List area: right-click a column heading and select Customize columns. Select Patient arrival date/time column and click Move. Right arrow Click OK. Click the column header to sort tasks.

In Tools > Options, Lists, Colors tab, you can also configure tasks to be highlighted in a specific color in the List area if patient waiting time since arrival or since scheduled study time exceeds a defined period. Use the Waiting time since patient arrived and Waiting time since scheduled date/time (used when a patient arrived only) criteria.

Examples:

Blue | Waiting time since patient arrived | greater than | 40 minutes

The patient record in the List area is marked with blue if the difference between current time and patient arrival time is longer than 40 minutes.

Violet | Waiting time since scheduled date/time | greater than | 15 minutes

The patient record in the List area is marked with violet if the difference between current time and scheduled study date and time is longer than 15 minutes. This criterion is only used when a patient arrived.

Required permissions:
  • Can add and remove studies to and from a task
  • Can cancel reading tasks
  • Can create correction tasks
  • Can sign off reports
  • Can start reading tasks
  • Can start sign off tasks
(For more on permissions, see Security roles: Concepts.)