RAIQC

A web-based clinical simulation platform designed to develop and upskill medical image interpretation.

Dr. Sarim Ather, Co-founder & CEO, RAIQC Ltd

57% of patients attending the 180 type 1 Emergency Departments (ED) in England undergo an imaging investigation. Although initial interpretation of X-rays is mostly performed by ED staff, more complex CT and MRI scans usually await a radiologist’s report. Rising demand for imaging has outstripped the supply of radiologists and report turnaround time is a major constraint in ED throughput. Increasingly, ED staff are looking to interpret imaging and make treatment decisions, but to do this safely, a training and quality assessment programme is necessary.

Report and Image Quality Control (RAIQC) is a state-of-the-art clinical simulation platform developed by radiologists to mimic real-world practice to improve image interpretation skills. By upskilling ED staff to understand abnormalities on different imaging modalities, RAIQC can help relieve pressure and improve the flow through emergency departments.

In our SBRI Healthcare funded project, the team has demonstrated that ED clinicians can interpret scans 52 minutes sooner than a radiologist with 97% accuracy for detecting an acute abnormality.

Being web-based the platform is easily accessible from across the country, reducing the reliance on dedicated workstations, in line with the “Delivering a ‘Net Zero’ NHS” plan that identifies the importance of improving patient care whilst using digital technologies to reduce carbon footprints.

• Chosen by the Royal College of Radiologists as the preferred platform in response to their tender for an eLearning solution for Nasogastric Tube placement for all UK clinicians interpreting NG Tube X-rays (ex-pected launch: Q3 2024)
• Established an ongoing collaboration with the London School of Clinical Radiology to publicly launch an “Emergency Radiology” educational resource, meant for junior or returning radiologists interpreting time-critical advanced imaging
• The RAIQC platform has been used in multiple research projects for the validation of AI algorithms, measuring the impact of AI output on clinicians' interpretation of medical images. This has helped establish a collaboration with the Thames Valley Emergency Research Network to run additional research projects
• Secured multiple contracts with large organisations such as Pfizer and GE Healthcare
• The SBRI Healthcare funding and Phase 1 & 2 projects enabled RAIQC to safeguard two FTE jobs and one PTE role, as well as to create another FTE role and two PTE roles
• Raised additional grant funding from Innovate UK and Local Enterprise Partnership to further develop the platform and offerings

“There are huge pressures on Emergency Department (ED) clinicians to assess patients and organise investigations quickly, both to enable them to treat time-critical illnesses, and to manage the enormous patient turnover of the ED efficiently. Through these SBRI Healthcare projects we have been able to explore the capabilities of ED clinicians to interpret CT scans independently, by using RAIQC to deliver online training to improve clinician skills and confidence when looking at the medical images, but also as a testing platform to facilitate the delivery of the study to measure this effect. This study will provide key data to examine the case for extended radiology skills training for ED clinicians, and provide a detailed baseline for comparison with new technologies such as AI-assisted interpretation algorithms, potentially helping speed up the management of ED patients and improving patient flow.”

Prof Alex Novak, RCEM Associate Professor in Emergency Medicine at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Chief Investigator for the Simulation Training in Emergency Department Imaging 2 (STEDI2) Trial

“This SBRI Healthcare award enabled us to unlock independent real-world economic validation, which is essential in proving our digital solutions’ effectiveness in the NHS. The combined effort of all partners has resulted in beneficial results for the NHS, local trusts and ICS which wouldn’t be possible without support of public funding.”

Dr Sarim Ather, Co-founder & CEO, RAIQC

“RAIQC gave us, as A&E doctors, the power to interpret and understand radiology better.”

Junior Doctor, Study participant

February 2024