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Design of overnight radiology shifts – primum non nocere

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Abstract

Overnight radiology (ONR) is necessary for providing timely patient care but poses unique professional and personal challenges to the radiologists. Maintaining a sustainable, long-term overnight radiology program hinges on the retention of radiologists who grasp the institutional workflow and can adeptly navigate inherent disruptions while consistently delivering high-quality patient care. Design of radiology shifts can significantly impact the performance and well-being of radiologists, with downstream implications for patient care and risk management. We provide a narrative review of literature to make recommendations for optimally designing ONR shifts, with a focus on professional and personal challenges pertinent to overnight radiologists and system-based risk mitigation strategies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, 1 Rope Ferry Rd, 03755, Hanover, NH, USA

    Abdul M. Zafar, Diya Mathur & Ruth W. Magera

  2. Department of Radiology, Dartmouth Health, 1 Medical Center Dr, Lebanon, NH, 03766, USA

    Abdul M. Zafar, Brian D. Barnacle & Ruth W. Magera

  3. Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College, 100, Tuck Hall, 03755, Hanover, NH, USA

    Diya Mathur

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  1. Abdul M. Zafar
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Correspondence to Abdul M. Zafar.

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Both AMZ and RWM are academic ED radiologists and provide overnight clinical services on a regular basis. The authors have no other competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article. No funding was received to assist with the preparation of this manuscript.

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Zafar, A.M., Mathur, D., Barnacle, B.D. et al. Design of overnight radiology shifts – primum non nocere. Emerg Radiol 31, 429–434 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10140-024-02224-2

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