hile at the annual conference of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT of Albuquerque, NM) last month in Orlando, I attended a session led by Jay Parikh, MD, FRCP(C), who is the medical director of the Women's Diagnostic Imaging Center at the Swedish Medical Center (Seattle). Although his session was geared specifically toward breast centers, much of the fundamental concepts apply to imaging centers as well. I'd like to share some of these ideas, which are in addition to the expert advice provided in "Niche Imaging: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," our cover story that begins on page 18.

For example, when designing a new center, Parikh recommends visiting other facilities. Frankly, that just makes sense. With on-site visits, you'll be able to see what works and what doesn't. For instance, note how the reception area is configured and whether it's comfortable for the patients. (On-site visits also are important for deciding on a PACS solution, and Michael Mack addresses that topic in this month's "Informatics Report" on page 16.)

Flow is another important consideration when designing a center. Parikh highlighted four different facilities' floor plans and noted the foot traffic for radiologists, technologists, and patients. It was eye-opening to see how convoluted a center can be if these pathways aren't well thought-out. A few tips to help prevent people from stepping on each other include keeping the imaging rooms on one side of a facility and the surgical suite on the other; keeping patient traffic to a minimum; and keeping all of the radiologists' rooms in close proximity. The latter point also pertains to the rooms that technologists visit; however, techs will naturally have more ground to cover due to escorting patients and such.

The person who will help you plan the flow, of course, is the architect. Parikh noted that you should talk to several architects before choosing one with whom you're comfortable. When doing so, make sure you ask to hear about other centers that he or she has designed, and then tour those facilities. If you're not happy with what you see, move on to the next architect. This advice sounds so simple, but it's easy to forget when you're in the thick of things.

Clearly, starting a new center (or even "upgrading" a current one) requires a lot of thought and planning to optimize workflow and patient comfort. If you recently finished this type of project, I'd love to hear your story. Feel free to zip me an email illustrating your center's good, bad, and ugly.

Andi Lucas
Editor