Evaluation of Conventional Diagnostic Radiologic Services in Khartoum - Sudan

Abstract

The X-ray is an important tool by which diseases can be diagnosed. This research is about the evaluation of the radiologic services in conventional X-ray departments in Khartoum State, as it is the capital of Sudan and it host the bulk of the radiology work. The scope of this research includes the safety aspects and their consideration in Sudan. The survey of the X-ray departments is followed by analysis and interpretation of the data collected by visiting national X-ray departments, as well as X-ray departments in Egypt. The data were collected by filling work sheets with needed information about the different departments, through a questionnaire and from preliminary report about the accreditation of the hospitals in Khartoum. The researcher made a trial to establishe rules regarding the responsibility of the radiologic technologist, which may affect the image quality and the overall radiologic services. The ultimate goals of this research are to determine the weak points of the system in the radiologic field, to determine the different aspects of safety in conventional radiology department, and to state clearly the points which determine the professional conduct in its technical and ethical aspects. The result of visiting X-ray departments (inside and out side of the country) is that radiologic services in Sudan are better than similar services in Egypt in some aspects. Almost all of the radiologists "their number is 32, 23 of them are in Khartoum (72%)" and most of radiologic technologists "their number is 578, 338 of them are in Khartoum (62%)" are concentrated in Khartoum; 40% of them are working in multiple places with different academic qualifications, with different job (responsibility), types of work and appointments, which resulted in inadequate services. The research hypotheses results are infavor of the proposed hypothesis (44.5%) and there are statistical differences among the respondent means according to the nature of hospitals (private and public tailed regions and special nature hospitals) for most of the research hypotheses, and some of the respondents characteristics have significant relation with the hypotheses of the research. The result of preliminary report of accreditation of public hospitals which include X-ray departments, showed that radiologic services is under the standard level (15%). This result significance and is consistent with the questionnaire results. There are remarked increasing in the number of the hospitals. X-ray units, radiologic technologists and radiologists from the year (1980) to the year (2006). (Appendix A-1). Sharing the responsibility inside radiologic departments between the radiologic technologists and the radiologists would raise the level of radiologic service.