Five years of #MedRadJClub: An impact evaluation of an established twitter journal club.

INTRODUCTION: Twitter journal clubs are a relatively new adaptation of an established continuing professional development (CPD) activity within healthcare. The medical radiation science (MRS) journal club 'MedRadJClub' (MRJC) was founded in March 2015 by a group of academics, researchers and clinicians as an international forum for the discussion of peer-reviewed papers. To investigate the reach and impact of MRJC, a five-year analysis was conducted. METHODS: Tweetchat data (number of participants, tweets and impressions) for the first five years of MRJC were extracted and chat topics organised into themes. Fifth anniversary MRJC chat tweets were analysed and examples of academic and professional outputs were collated. RESULTS: A total of 59 chats have been held over five years with a mean of 41 participants and 483,000 impressions per hour-long synchronous chat. Ten different tweetchat themes were identified, with student engagement/preceptorship the most popular. Eight posters or oral presentations at conferences, one social media workshop and four papers have been produced. Qualitative analysis revealed five core themes relating to the perceived benefits of participation in MRJC: (1) CPD and research impact, (2) professional growth and influencing practice, (3) interdisciplinary learning and inclusion, (4) networking and social support and (5) globalisation. CONCLUSION: MRJC is a unique, multi-professional, global community with consistent engagement. It is beneficial for both CPD, research engagement, dissemination and socialisation within the MRS community.

COVID-19 Pandemic - considerations and challenges for the management of medical imaging departments in Queensland.

The purpose of this commentary was to outline several key considerations and challenges for medical imaging departments during a global pandemic. Five public hospital medical imaging departments were identified in South-East Queensland, Australia, to provide insight into their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Common themes were identified, with the four considered most pertinent documented in this commentary. Similar operational considerations and challenges were identified amongst all sites. This commentary intends to serve as a starting point for medical imaging departments in considering the planning and implementation of services in a pandemic scenario.

Twitter Journal Club in Medical Radiation Science.

INTRODUCTION: Social media has emerged as a powerful platform for engagement and learning. There is a growing trend toward the use of social media among health care professionals and professional groups to disseminate and discuss knowledge. Twitter is one tool that may enhance continuing professional development (CPD) for the medical radiation technologist. To evaluate the potential benefits of Twitter to CPD among medical radiation technologists, this study explored the integration of Bloom's taxonomy with Twitter-based professional activities. APPROACH: In 2015, the Medical Radiation Journal Club (https://medradjclub.wordpress.com/) commenced a monthly Twitter-based journal club for medical radiation professionals. This study investigates the application of Bloom's taxonomy of the Twitter-based journal club for CPD purposes. OUTCOME: The Twitter-based journal club provides a valuable platform for CPD. The combination of journal articles, supplementary reading, online blog, and the one-hour Twitter discussion engages all levels of Bloom's taxonomy; remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create. A deeper insight revealed that the Twitter journal club provides an authentic learning environment suitable for CPD in which participants consume, collaborate, and produce. CONCLUSIONS: This evaluation demonstrated that the Twitter journal club can provide an authentic learning environment with all the cognitive dimensions afforded in a formal classroom or face-to-face journal club. Indeed, in some ways, these cognitive dimensions are enhanced in the Twittersphere.

Radiation dose in coronary angiography and intervention: initial results from the establishment of a multi-centre diagnostic reference level in Queensland public hospitals.

INTRODUCTION: Radiation dose to patients undergoing invasive coronary angiography (ICA) is relatively high. Guidelines suggest that a local benchmark or diagnostic reference level (DRL) be established for these procedures. This study sought to create a DRL for ICA procedures in Queensland public hospitals. METHODS: Data were collected for all Cardiac Catheter Laboratories in Queensland public hospitals. Data were collected for diagnostic coronary angiography (CA) and single-vessel percutaneous intervention (PCI) procedures. Dose area product (P KA), skin surface entrance dose (K AR), fluoroscopy time (FT), and patient height and weight were collected for 3 months. The DRL was set from the 75th percentile of the P KA. RESULTS: 2590 patients were included in the CA group where the median FT was 3.5 min (inter-quartile range = 2.3-6.1). Median K AR = 581 mGy (374-876). Median P KA = 3908 uGym(2) (2489-5865) DRL = 5865 uGym(2). 947 patients were included in the PCI group where median FT was 11.2 min (7.7-17.4). Median K AR = 1501 mGy (928-2224). Median P KA = 8736 uGym(2) (5449-12,900) DRL = 12,900 uGym(2). CONCLUSION: This study established a benchmark for radiation dose for diagnostic and interventional coronary angiography in Queensland public facilities.