Because they must work together to collaborate on care strategies for patients, it is important for radiologists and referring physicians to maintain fluid communication with one other. Without it, practices could be subject to lengthy and expensive malpractice lawsuits due to missed or inaccurate diagnoses.
AuntMinnie.com reported that researchers from Duke University, presenting at the recent International Symposium on Multidetector Row CT in San Francisco, California, gleaned meaningful information from interviews with referring physicians that led to improvements in radiology customer service. According to Daniel Boll, M.D., understanding what doctors value and how they utilize radiology reports is essential for radiologists to improve their working relationship.
“Once you have identified your customer, you can use a ‘voice of the customer’ approach to extract information directly from them,” said Boll, quoted by the news source.
For more than two years, the radiologists at Duke coordinated 47 qualitative interviews with top referring clinicians to better understand their counterparts. Each session lasted roughly an hour and featured broad questions regarding urology, cardiology and orthopedic surgery. They discovered that circling back to physicians following medical imaging procedures created better opportunities for ongoing communication and coordination.
Referring physicians and PACS
VMware explained that doctors often interact with PACS systems, and radiologists need to be ready to help them understand complex diagnostic imaging results. By coordinating sit-down discussions, the two parties can form a stronger professional bond that is free of any communication silos that may impact workflows.
Physicians will be able to tell radiologists directly what they want from procedures when ordering 3D studies or 2D scans with a 3D component. The imaging specialists are able to give accurate descriptions of exams to ensure that doctors fully understand the tests they want conducted and their associated costs. Coordination is integral in health care, and the more providers that come together, the better services they can provide at a facility.
Contact Viztek for more information.
Ronny Bachrach
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