Just Get in Line: Rural-Urban Differences in Access to Pediatric Renal-Bladder Ultrasounds

Area of Science:

• Pediatric imaging accessibility
• Healthcare disparities in underserved areas
• Radiology service availability

Background:

• Healthcare disparities in rural and underserved areas are a growing concern, potentially worsened by the pandemic, staffing shortages, and supply chain issues.
• Understanding variations in pediatric diagnostic imaging access is crucial for addressing healthcare inequities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify and compare the availability of pediatric renal ultrasounds in rural versus urban hospital settings.
• To assess potential disparities in accessing essential pediatric imaging services.

Main Methods:

• Hospitals statewide were identified, and radiology departments were contacted anonymously to schedule pediatric renal-bladder ultrasounds.
• The time interval from contact to the first available appointment was compared between rural and urban institutions.
• Success rates of scheduling and likelihood of obtaining an appointment within 7 days were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Contact was successfully made with 87.5% of rural hospitals and 51.3% of urban hospitals.
• Once contact was established, median wait times for pediatric renal ultrasounds were similar (7 days rural vs. 6 days urban).
• Patients were significantly more likely to successfully schedule an ultrasound within 7 days at rural hospitals (2.89 times) due to a higher likelihood of completing the call.

Conclusions:

• While the time to appointment is comparable once contact is made, scheduling pediatric renal ultrasounds is more challenging at urban institutions.
• Rural patients face greater difficulties in initiating and completing the scheduling process for pediatric renal ultrasounds.
• Findings highlight the need to improve scheduling efficiency and accessibility of pediatric renal ultrasound services, particularly in urban settings.