Abstract: A method of automatically assigning each of a plurality of medical imaging cases for reading by one of a plurality of readers, comprising: receiving the medical imaging cases; listing each case, at different times, on worklists displayed to one or more readers who are allowed to choose the case for reading at that time; receiving information on choices of cases by the readers; and assigning cases to readers who choose them; wherein for at least some of the cases, initially only a portion of the readers are allowed to choose the case, but over time, as the case becomes more urgent to read, the case is escalated a first time by adding one or more other readers who are allowed to choose the case, and over further time, if the case is still not read, the case is escalated at least one additional time.