There is an increasing demand to push the visibility of radiologists by communicating imaging results to patients directly. However, further research reveals that patients and providers do not see an eye-to-eye on this subject, citing an individual move towards delivering imaging findings might be the best solution.

Imaging results may be presented in several ways, such as via websites, nurse coordinators, referring physicians, and radiologists. However, the only certainty is that there is no universal approach agreed upon, as explained by Weill Cornell, the medical expert, in JACR.

With the hope to find an innovative solution, some of the New York-based practitioners took 258 patients and 192 referrers for a survey as they were in for CT for screening lung cancer. While most were perfectly all right with radiologists delivering their results, both positive and negative, but the approach was not straightforward.

For instance, 51 percent of the patients preferred to have general results of medical imaging from the referring provider, with 25 percent stating a radiologist as the top choice. Similarly, all providers conducted a survey that revealed they were OK and comfortable with radiologists disclosing a negative result without consulting them beforehand. However, the figure dipped for a positive finding, as in when something suspicious is detected.

These conclusions suggest that stakeholders might have reevaluated the approach to communicate exam results, according to the authors’ explanation.

Joanna G. Escalon, MD, and the Director of Thoracic MRI, New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell, together with colleagues was quoted saying, “Variation amongst patient and provider preferences advocate for a more individualized that would optimize both patient care and referrer satisfaction.”

Escalon together with co-authors also noted that only 49 out of 192 providers acted in response to this survey with about 140 patient replies.

Some of the findings are noted below:

• 74 percent of the referrers are in agreement with radiologists delivering a normal result and reviewing medical images with the patients after consulting with physicians telephonically. However, the other 26 percent disagreed.
• Likewise, 81 percent of referring providers believe that the interpreting radiologists should be able to deliver normal results as well as review images immediately after one phone call with a referring physician. Meanwhile, 19 percent did not agree to it.
• Of the 38 people who agreed, 34 were fine with radiologists delivering results without consulting them beforehand, while 3 did not want radiologists discussing any abnormal imaging findings with patients.
• For CT to screen lung cancer, 49 percent of patients preferred to leave at once and receive their normal reports from the referring provider, while 40 percent wanted the same even if findings were abnormal.
• Patients, in general, are comfortable hearing both abnormal and normal results from the radiologists and they want to view their CT scan images – 74 percent for both.

sepStream® delivers the finest quality of medical imaging findings, maintaining accuracy and precision. Using AI-enabled technology and advanced software, we bring to you quick imaging solutions in no time.