Changing primary care requesting practices for MRI knee: A quality improvement project

The objectives of this work were first to examine referral practices from primary care for MRI knee in patients ≥45 years old and then to develop a new referral pathway to reduce the number of inappropriate MRI knee referrals. Following this, the aim was to re-assess the effect of the intervention and identify further areas for improvement.

A baseline retrospective analysis of knee MRIs requested from primary care in symptomatic patients ≥45years over a two-month period was undertaken. A new referral pathway was implemented in consensus with orthopaedic specialists and the clinical commissioning group (CCG), via the CCG resource webpage and local education. Following implementation, a repeat data analysis was undertaken.

The number of MRI knees acquired from primary care referrals reduced by 42% after the new pathway was implemented. 67% (46/69) were compliant with the new guidelines. The number of patients having an MRI knee without a prior plain radiograph was 14/69 (20%) compared to 55/118 (47%) prior the pathway changes.

The new referral pathway reduced the number of knee MRI acquisitions in primary care patients ≥45 years by 42%. Changing the pathway has decreased the number of patients undergoing MRI knee without a prior radiograph from 47% to 20%. These outcomes bring our standards towards the evidence-based recommendations of the Royal College of Radiology and have reduced our outpatient waiting list for MRI knee.

Implementing a new referral pathway with the local CCG can successfully reduce the number of inappropriate MRI knee acquisitions from primary care referrals in older symptomatic patients.