A major step toward improving the research profile of the department was the creation of the Research Coordinator role
Research Coordinator therefore aimed to address these issues of disinterest and unwillingness to engage in research through the implementation of some simple communication strategies such as a research newsletter and monthly research meeting.
Research newsletter The Research Coordinator has released several issues of a new research newsletter, for perusal by all staff. The newsletter contains updates on grant opportunities, medical imaging conferences, news on research in radiology and announcements and stories to highlight staff contributions and raise awareness of available research tools. Following a simple audit of email notifications readership appeared to be at approximately 50%. The newsletters have generated
further work for the Research Coordinator with at least one new research request received after the release of each newsletter. Feedback received so far has been positive, with staff commenting that the newsletter is entertaining and informative. The newsletter also acts as a reporting tool for Research Committee activities and outputs, such as the process for accessing funds from the departmental research fund.
Monthly meetings To further assist in raising staff awareness of research matters, the Research Coordinator is responsible for coordinating a monthly research meeting to engage staff in research by allowing for all streams to attend, listen to presentations about research and exchange ideas. 17 and 16 members of the department respectively, including registrars, medical staff and radiographers attended the meetings. Feedback from the meeting has been positive, with
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ongoing attendance relatively being relatively constant and dynamic.
ASSISTING WITH ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES To assist staff on a practical basis, the Research Coordinator also assists with a variety of research-related tasks, including acting as a point of contact for staff regarding research matters. This incorporates a liaison role, for duties comprising sourcing quotes for research equipment, literature searching, investigating ethical and legal requirements for research and finding out about internal processes. As a small measure of the impact of
improving administrative support, since the inception of the role, the number of ethical submissions for new projects has increased dramatically. This increase has shown that there is a greater likelihood of staff participation in research as having a dedicated research support role in the department increases a staff member’s capacity to manage research, in addition to clinical or other commitments, by decreasing the time wasted in administrative duties.
CONCLUSION With the ongoing expansion of imaging technologies on the market, the demand for quality clinical research will continue
to grow. To keep up with this demand for research, a stronger research culture in radiology will need to be developed in conjunction with providing a quality service. The Department of Medical Imaging at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital is one such site that is making an effort in this regard. Some of the steps taken include: The implementation of a dedicated Research Coordinator role as well as the creation of a Research Committee to oversee funding for research Improving access to financial support for research Implementation of research communication strategies to address staff perceptions of disconnect
Practical assistance with administrative duties associated with research. Since implementation of these
steps in the last 12 months, there has been a slow growth in the interest in research as staff become more aware of the opportunities in research and understand they will continue to be supported by their department when undertaking more research work. As a result of this increasing awareness, we look forward to further growth and expansion of research in our department in the future. ■
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