A Study on Radiology Management Information System (RMIS) in Teaching Hospitals Affiliated to Medical Universities in Tehran

The radiology management information systems (RMIS) are of particular importance in facilitating managers’ decision-making, controlling and planning roles. This research, hence, aimed to study the RMIS in hospitals affiliated to Tehran and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. This research was a descriptive and cross-sectional study. To conduct the study, the hospitals affiliated to Tehran and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences was classified into two groups, and random sampling was used to select hospitals from each group. In total, the sample of the study was composed of 21 hospitals. Data collection was conducted using observation and interview using a questionnaire and a checklist. The Validity of research tools was reassured using the method of content validity. The Reliability of questionnaire was checked using test-re-test method (r=0.89), and data were then analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings showed that a mixture of paper-based and computer-based methods was used in the majority of radiology management information systems (RMIS). The data related to equipment, were gathered with 27.8%- 44.4% and this was 16.6% -33.3% for administrative and financial data. The main sources used for data acquisition were hospital information system (HIS) in computer-based systems, master patient index (MPI) and patients’ insurance documents in paper-based systems. Among the reports prepared, financial reports and those for key indices had the lowest frequency. In all centers under study, the RMIS was integrated with hospital information systems, and integration with other systems reported as 16.7%-27.8%. Development and improvement of RMIS would be facilitated considering complete gathering of data related to personnel, equipment and financial affairs; accurate and complete data processing as well as appropriate distribution of information.