Hexarad radiology technology cuts scan allocation time by 90%

Radiology technology company Hexarad has launched a new solution to automatically assign scans to the most appropriate radiologist. The auto-allocation tool assigns scans 90% more quickly than manual allocation, and is also more accurate and more efficient for radiology departments facing unprecedented demand. 

Radiology is a key source of delays for the NHS, and allocating scans to an inappropriate or unavailable radiologist can mean a delayed or even incorrect diagnosis. The real-world consequences for patients who have to wait for scan results can be catastrophic. Days, hours, and minutes matter hugely when it comes to diagnosis, and delays prevent early treatment and lead to poorer outcomes. For cancer patients, every month of delayed treatment can lead to a 10% increased risk of death. 

Hexarad CEO, Dr Farzana Rahman, said: “As radiologists ourselves, we know how important it is to get the right scan, to the right radiologist, at the right time, and our auto-allocation tool makes that possible even when you’re allocating huge numbers of scans. It’s a great example of our clinical and tech expertise coming together to create a truly innovative solution that can help the NHS to reduce delays and cut waiting lists.” 

Scan allocation usually generates a huge admin burden for radiology departments, as multiple members of staff require hours to allocate scans manually. The Hexarad auto-allocation tool can process and allocate thousands of scans in minutes, cutting down allocation time by approximately 90%. The tool will auto-allocate 70% of scans it receives, with the remaining 30% diverted to the Hexarad admin team for further assessment.  

The tool was built by Tim Baker, Hexarad’s CTO and former senior software developer at Deliveroo. Tim said, “Lots of other radiology tools claim to be able to handle automatic scan allocation, but what makes our solution different is that it has been created by our leadership team of trained radiologists, so it has the clinical understanding to make sure the right radiologist is given the right scan. It can also take into account the type of scans that a radiologist prefers to report on. This is really important, because if you can give radiologists the scans they are the most accurate and fastest at reporting, then you can minimise errors and speed up turnaround times.” 

Hexarad has already rolled out the auto-allocation tool across its teleradiology service. Auto-allocation will also be available to NHS radiology departments as part of the Hexarad Platform, a set of tools specifically designed to reduce unnecessary radiology delays. Other tools on the Hexarad platform include OptiRad, a workflow management solution to help radiology departments increase their efficiency.