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A microcomputer system has been developed and installed at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology to monitor the moment-to-moment activity in a radiology department. Data about department performances are collected, summarized, and displayed in graphs and tables on terminals at stations throughout the department. The system is currently used to monitor a wide variety of functions including patient waiting time, report production time, film-library operations, equipment maintenance, and room use. Since the displays are updated in real-time, it is possible to identify and address problems as they occur, thereby providing a method of evaluation that leads to improved performance as related to patient care.

We developed an interactive computer system to support various educational uses. The system allowed numerous instructors to create lessons or tests in a flexible, personalized fashion. As a pilot project, the system was used to develop and administer a computer-driven final examination in a didactic radiology course for second-year medical students. It was our objective to change the examination into an enjoyable experience that would also bring about long-term learning gains. The computer added immediate feedback to the testing situation.