REST enabling the report template library.

ABSTRACT

Structured reporting, created when a standardized template with organized subheadings is combined with relevant observations of a diagnostic study into a meaningful result, has the potential to raise both the quality and the predictability of the radiologist report, revolutionizing the workflow and its outcomes. These templates contain great value, as they carve a path based on best practice for the radiologist to follow, and thus should be shared, reviewed, and improved. Unfortunately, these templates are often not shareable today due to a lack of standards for describing and transporting templates. This paper outlines and discusses an appropriate and effective electronic method for transporting radiology report templates using of the style of representational state transfer (REST). Enabling a structured radiology report template library with REST enables just-in-time accessibility of templates, achieving efficiencies and effectiveness.