Colin C, Vergnon P, Guibaud L, Borson O, Bretonhes S, Perret Du Cray MH, Pinaudeau D, Pasquier JM, Tranh-Minh V; International Society of Technology Assessment in Health Care. Meeting.

Annu Meet Int Soc Technol Assess Health Care Int Soc Technol Assess Health Care Meet. 1995; 11: Abstract No. 233.

Medical Information Center, Hospices Civils, Lyon, France.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare digital radiography and conventional radiography as regards diagnostic performance, direct costs and productivity. METHODS: Diagnostic performance was assessed with a critical review of published studies devoted to sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of these techniques. Direct costs and productivity were evaluated by carrying out a before-after study about the installation of digital rediography in one department of radiology of "Hospices Civils de Lyon," the second teaching hospital group of France. We included 300 patients and measured duration of examinations and direct costs such as film consumption, maintenance and depreciation costs for five x-ray examinations: intravenous urography, upper gastrointestinal study, small bowel study, celiac and mesenteric angiography, hysterography. A questionnaire was filled out by the employees of the department in order to assess any change in their working conditions. RESULTS: Digital radiography had a diagnostic performance equivalent to that of conventional radiography for these x-ray examinations. In 1993, digital radiography rsulted in saving FF 18000, inclusive of tax, on film consumption for the whole of the examinations. It however induced a global additional cost amounting to FF 253000 in the same year for maintenance and depreciation. Durations of examinations decreased by 6 minutes and waiting times by 18 minutes for all the examinations. Working conditions improved (greater availability for the patient, better safety, increased interest for the job). However, the choice of digital radiography seemed to be strongly dependent on the type of x-ray examination.

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• Angiography
• Costs and Cost Analysis
• Evaluation Studies
• Fluoroscopy
• France
• Humans
• Physical Examination
• Radiographic Image Enhancement
• Radiography, Abdominal
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• X-Rays
• diagnosis
• economics
• instrumentation
• methods
• radiography
• hsrmtgs

Other ID:

• HTX/96715006

UI: 102215978

From Meeting Abstracts