Radiologists Need to Take Charge of Patient Engagement

One of the main goals for radiologists and other providers is to communicate and engage patients in order to get them more invested in their own care. Although numerous tools exist for this purpose, including patient portals and electronic health records, simply discussing diagnostic results can serve as a step towards effective engagement.

According to AuntMinnie.com, this issue was reviewed at the annual meeting of the American Roentgen Ray Society held this month in San Diego, Calif. The reporting practices of radiology have been the focus for many providers, as they look for ways to improve the quality, format and turnaround time on sharing results with patients.

“Radiology reports serve as the primary interface between the radiologist, the patient, and the ordering physician,” said study presenter Mark Mangano, M.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital, quoted by the news source. “So we need to know how patients prefer to receive their exam results and what type of results they prefer to receive so that we can determine how to use this information to move toward increasingly patient-centered care.”

Quantifying satisfaction
To measure patient experiences, Mangano and his colleagues handed out anonymous surveys to adults who were undergoing CT and MRI exams over a three-week period in June 2013 at two separate medical imaging centers. They received more than 640 responses, with a majority of participants reportedly satisfied with their overall experiences in the radiology department.

When the results of their medical imaging exams were normal, 34 percent of patients chose to receive the information from their referring physicians by phone, compared to 12 percent who chose to speak with their radiologists using the same method of communication. Additionally, only 3 percent wanted to have a face-to-face conversation with their radiologists. When it came to abnormal results, 48 percent preferred phone calls from referring physicians, compared to 14 percent in favor of radiologists.

Details were important as well, with 44 percent wanting the same level of detail that doctors received for normal results, and 78 percent wanted a similar amount for abnormal results. This can be a challenging aspect of communicating with patients, as the information included in these reports can often be complex. The language would most likely need to be cut down and simplified in order to be understood by patients.

Communicating results to patients
In order to assist radiologists with communication strategies, the American College of Radiology released guidelines regarding diagnostic imaging results. Being able to discuss results and treatment options is integral to delivering quality care in a timely fashion. The ACR recommended that methods of communication should be tailored to meet the needs of patients and minimize the risk of errors.

While the medical jargon on diagnostic reports may be complex, the ACR explained that the information should still include accurate anatomic and radiologic terminology to describe the findings. Additionally, they should contain an impression section that has a specific diagnosis and any significant results that could impact treatment options.

Due to the complexity of digital imaging results, radiologists could consider setting up a consultation center in their facilities where patients would be able to speak with them directly by phone or in person. In this environment, the physicians could have an easier time communicating the findings to patients and be able to field any questions they may have regarding diagnoses and treatments.

“Ideas like this could begin to shift patients’ thinking, so perhaps they would be more open to receiving results from radiologists,” concluded Mangano, quoted by AuntMinnie.com.

Although the survey results may be disheartening for radiologists, the opportunity for successful engagement still exists. At this junction, it is up to the physicians to conduct the right strategies for communicating with patients.

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