Radiologists' responses to inadequate referrals.

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Imaging
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Inadequate imaging referrals pose challenges in clinical practice.
• Ensuring appropriate use of diagnostic imaging is crucial for patient care and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how radiologists respond to inadequate imaging referrals.
• To identify factors influencing the decision to perform or withhold imaging examinations.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to Norwegian radiologists, achieving a 69% response rate.
• Respondents reported frequencies of actions taken for inadequate referrals and factors affecting examination decisions.

Main Results:

• 95% of radiologists take action on inadequate referrals daily/weekly, most commonly clarifying clinical problems or checking records.
• Actions varied by subspecialty; registrars and hospital radiologists more frequently contacted referrers.
• Factors preventing doubtful examinations included high risk, radiation dose, and patient age; factors facilitating them included referrer's judgment and time pressure.

Conclusions:

• Radiologists prioritize patient safety and information gathering when faced with inadequate referrals.
• Improved communication channels with referrers and dedicated time for vetting referrals can optimize imaging utilization.