Administrative Challenges in Radiology and Nursing Departments: The Evolving Role of Medical Secretaries

Abstract

Background: The role of medical secretaries in radiology departments is evolving amidst increasing administrative challenges and the integration of electronic health information systems. Medical secretaries are essential for ensuring accurate patient documentation and facilitating communication among healthcare teams. This study investigates the impact of electronic information systems on the duties of medical secretaries, focusing on their responsibilities in patient administration throughout various stages of the care process.

Methods: A thorough assessment was conducted of existing literature and data gathered from medical secretaries about their experiences with electronic health information systems. Key areas of focus included patient admission, care planning and organization, ordering diagnostic exams, and patient discharge.

Results: The study revealed that while medical secretaries generally found electronic systems beneficial for patient admission and discharge, significant challenges remained in care planning and organization. Many reported that the systems inadequately facilitated communication among stakeholders and required excessive time for data entry and retrieval. The study highlighted a gap between the expected efficiency of electronic systems and the actual experiences of medical secretaries.

Conclusion: Enhancing the functionality and usability of electronic health information systems is crucial for optimizing the roles of medical secretaries. By addressing the identified challenges, healthcare organizations can improve administrative workflows and support medical secretaries in delivering high-quality patient care.