Satisfaction With Current Scan Times in Sonography Practice. A Survey of Australian and New Zealand Sonographers

Introduction: Sonography appointment times affect the ability of sonographers to provide quality scanning services in a safe and efficient manner. A snapshot of three of the most commonly performed scan styles was conducted (transthoracic echocardiography, second trimester singleton morphology, abdominal ultrasound) and the potential effects on sonography satisfaction and health care quality indicators in Australian and New Zealand (ANZ) sonographers. 

Methods: A single online survey of ANZ sonographers exploring the scan time of the three selected scan types was undertaken. Appointment/transducer times were analyzed, with sonographer satisfaction related to scan type, practice location/type, and number of years scanning. 

Results: Responses were received from 1170 sonographers. Most sonographers were satisfied with current appointment times, with the least satisfaction reported by sonographers in private practice. The most reported threat of insufficient examination time to quality healthcare was the quality of the scan, followed by the patient experience, efficiency, and patient safety. When exploring the effect on healthcare quality measures, the self-reported proportion of appointment time for actual scanning (transducer time) is more strongly related to healthcare quality measures than total appointment times. 

Conclusion: This study found that most sonographers were satisfied with current appointment times for the three scan types, with the proportion of time spent using the transducer having a greater effect on health care quality than the total duration of the scanning appointment. Rather than focusing on appointment times, it may be prudent to focus on reducing the non-scan activities that form part of the appointment.