Triage Radiology Imaging Assessment for Greater Effectiveness (TRIAGE)

Aim We aim to understand whether a computerised tool designed to quickly spot problems in brain scans can help doctors diagnose cases faster. This will help patients by getting them the treatment they need sooner. We also will measure how useful doctors find the tool, and whether it is saves money for the National Health Service (NHS). Understanding the Challenge Radiologists are doctors who read medical images, like brain scans, to find diseases. They've been facing a big increase in their workload, which can slow down how quickly they can report brain scans. When illnesses are not spotted promptly, it can lead to worse health outcomes for patients and higher costs for everyone. We think our new tool can help solve this problem. How the Tool Works When a patient has a brain scan it is put to the back of a queue for a radiologist to report it. Our tool will instantly check for any signs of significant health concerns. If it finds something abnormal, that scan jumps to the front of the queue. Our new tool ensures that radiologists will see the scans of patients with abnormal brain scans first. We believe that this will lead to faster start times for necessary medical treatments. In the long run, this not only can improve patient health, but also may reduce the overall expenses of the NHS. What We Have Done So Far We have shown the computerised tool works on brain scans throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Using a structured regulatory system, we have ensured that the tool is compliant with safety, reliability, and quality standards to provide users with a dependable product. The Study We're Conducting We plan to test this tool across a range of UK radiology departments, timing how quickly scans are analysed with and without the tool. This comparison will reveal whether the tool can effectively reduce the time to diagnose, and therefore commence treatment for patients. Involving Patients and the Public A diverse group of patients and public members, who know firsthand what it's like to have a brain scan, have been guiding our project. They've made sure that we think about the needs of every patient — no matter which hospital they go to, the type of scan machine used, or their personal background such as their age or ethnicity. This group remains a strong voice throughout our project, ensuring that we keep focused on what patients and the public really need. We also have been guided by radiologists and those in charge of radiology departments to ensure that what we propose will work effectively on a day-to-day basis in busy hospitals. Sharing Our Findings If our study shows this tool works well, we have demonstrated deployment at scale as well as the value of the technology. It could then be shared with the NHS and other health services around the world, making a positive difference both within the country and far beyond the UK. We plan to tell everyone about our study—patients, doctors, and health organizations—so that the knowledge we gain can help improve health services everywhere.