The essential checklist for communicating radiology test results

When test results don't reach the right clinician quickly, the consequences can include delayed diagnoses and patient safety risks. This checklist is designed to help radiology, quality, and operational leaders evaluate the capabilities that support reliable communication of test results — from defining severity categories and escalation paths to strengthening system integrations and improving visibility across the workflow. 

What's inside the checklist:

• Complete communication essentials: Assess whether every result follows a defined, documented path from initiation to acknowledgment with clear time thresholds
• Automated escalation protocols: Evaluate whether overdue alerts automatically route to the next responsible clinician with full visibility into every escalation attempt
• Eliminating contact barriers: Review whether alerts are routed using on-call schedules, role-based assignments, and clinician device preferences
• Tracking acknowledgment and response: Determine if your workflows capture every step from delivery to acknowledgment and surface response time analytics for operational leaders
• Integration across systems: Gauge how well your platform integrates with PACS, RIS, and EHR workflows so clinicians can send and receive alerts without leaving their preferred systems
• Intelligent messaging system capabilities: Confirm your messaging system automates escalation, maintains visibility for unresolved alerts, and supports compliance through dashboards and historical data views