Mass. Radiologists Establish Free Medical Imaging Consultation Clinic

With the introduction of the electronic health records program from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, physicians are following new regulations that aim to improve quality of care and enhance the patient experience. Engagement has become one of the most important components of health care reform, placing patients at the center of care and having them share decision-making responsibilities with their doctors.

AuntMinnie.com reported that researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital launched a pilot service that provided patients with consultations on their medical imaging results. They found that, when given the opportunity, patients appreciate the chance to discuss exam findings with radiologists directly.

“They’ve started to see the value that we provide, not only in the reading room but outside the reading room,” said Garry Choy, M.D., explaining the research team’s findings during a speaking session at the annual meeting of the Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine in Long Beach, California, as quoted by the news source.

Bringing patients into the mix
The idea for a consultation clinic sprang from a conversation between Michael Stone, M.D., and a patient with stage IV lung cancer who had never been shown her images. Traditionally, radiologists have little interaction with patients, merely providing interpretations for digital imaging results. The group of researchers from MGH included Stone, Choy, Mark Mangano, M.D., Dushyant Sahani, M.D., and primary care physician Susan Bennett, M.D. Together, they aspired to establish a consultation area of the hospital where patients can learn more about their disease process and ask questions about their imaging findings.

While some diagnostic imaging specialists, such as interventional radiologists and breast imagers, are actively involved with patients, the group from MGH wanted to see if there were additional opportunities for radiologists to help referring physicians by talking with patients.

Health Affairs explained that patients who are involved with their health care can experience improved medical outcomes and lower costs as a result. Because of this, practices are implementing strategies to engage patients and include them – and their families – in making decisions about their care.

Bolstering consultation workflow
Within their clinic, the MGH group held radiology consultations after a patient visited his or her primary care physician, with each session lasting between 15 and 30 minutes. To date, the visits have been a complimentary service for patients as the radiologists voluntarily participated in the pilot program.

Utilizing satisfaction surveys, the researchers found that patient response was overwhelmingly positive. However, work still has to be done to develop a viable business model for the service. At the moment, the researchers are trying to establish a fee-for-service structure that patients can choose to pay for, if desired.

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