RadBench : benchmarking image interpretation skills on a global scale

RadBench was conceived as an approach to objectively measure image interpretation performance en masse and identify development needs. The notion that radiographers have the ability to provide an accurate report on diagnostic images is well established. Whilst accurate reporting is a critical function, the approach of simply replacing radiologist with radiographer, does not address the bigger challenge facing healthcare. The vision of the Society and College of Radiographer’s to introduce commenting skills as a competency for Radiography graduates by 2010 has passed, relatively unanswered. A standard criterion set; 95% ideal, 90% optimal, and 80% minimal accuracy as an approach to categorising performance has been mooted however an objective approach to assessing competence is yet to be substantiated. The large scale evidence to underpin such decisions is limited by the unavailability of a global measurement tool. The performance of the radiographer population en masse is unknown. Some early results will be presented. Delivering RadBench from a web based platform facilitates the benchmarking of anyone who has taken the same test(s) in any geographical location, within any defined organisation or institution, and with any defined personal characteristics. Tomorrow's radiographer could have an individual image interpretation performance rating which follows their career from the point of entry to undergraduate education. RadBench embraces the scaffolding approach to continuous professional development allowing development needs to be identified and training to be tailored to specific needs. This process, can be used in partnership with other key learning opportunities, to create a rich talent pool capable of delivering accurate image interpretation decisions en masse, which in turn offers the modern NHS with a whole new level of efficiency improvement potential and justified auditable return on investment, and also creating a natural pool of talent ready to develop to the reporting role. RadBench also provides a carrier to enable researchers across the world to carry out large scale image interpretation studies by hosting their image banks, or further testing the reliability of previous findings.