Association Between Radiologic Incidental Findings and Resource Utilization in Patients Admitted With Chest Pain in...

Area of Science:

• Hospital medicine
• Radiology
• Health services research

Background:

• Increasing diagnostic testing leads to more radiologic incidental findings (IFs) in hospitalized patients.
• These findings present challenges to delivering high-value care within hospital settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of radiologic incidental findings (IFs) on resource utilization.
• Specifically, to understand the effect of IFs on length of stay (LOS) for patients hospitalized with chest pain.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective observational cross-sectional study at an academic medical center.
• Analysis of demographic, imaging, and length of stay (LOS) data for adult patients admitted with chest pain.
• Logistic and negative binomial regression models were used to assess factors associated with IFs and their impact on LOS.

Main Results:

• Over half of the analyzed patients (52%) with chest pain had radiologic incidental findings (IFs).
• Radiologic IFs were associated with a significant increase in length of stay (LOS) by 26%.
• The likelihood of finding IFs increased with patient age.

Conclusions:

• Radiologic incidental findings are frequent in chest pain admissions and independently prolong hospital LOS.
• Interventions targeting radiologic IFs could potentially reduce LOS.
• Reducing LOS by managing IFs can contribute to the provision of high-value hospital care.