[Radio-diagnostic congruence improvement in a first-level unit]

Radiology is a fundamental tool on outpatient Family Medicine practice. Its adverse effects include its abuse, given that the patient is exposed to unnecessary radiation, and health care costs increase.

To evaluate the implementation of a radio-diagnostic congruence strategy (RDCS) in a first-level unit in Mexico City.

It was carried out an experimental, longitudinal study that covered both a previous period of time and another one after implementing the RDCS. It was evaluated the congruence between the diagnosis and the appropriateness of the imaging studies on the basis of the correspondent clinical practice guidelines. It was applied as well a bivariate statistical analysis that associated the diagnosis, the anatomical region and the patients' sex.

The number of imaging studies diminished substantially, while the congruence increased; this was associated to the anatomical region and the diagnosis; sex was not a decisive variable.

Implementing the RDCS shows positive effects, since the number of requests for imaging diminished (in 43.7%), and the radio-diagnostic congruence increased (8.5%) after implementing the RDCS. The reduction of requests for imaging could have been influenced by the fact that the medical staff could have been inhibited after been monitored, which could have led them to dispatch only the necessary requests for imaging. Our findings concur with the literature in the number of imaging studies requested in the first level of care, and the necessity to check out its appropriateness in order to increase its effectivity.