Related Experiment Videos
Posters for accident departments: simple method of sustaining reduction in x ray examinations
E McNally1, G de Lacey, P Lovell
1Department of Radiology, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex.
Objective:
To assess whether a simple strategy would sustain a reduction in the number of unnecessary x ray examinations.
Design:
Use of posters to display guidelines encouraging the more effective use of radiology in patients with head injuries, twisted ankles, neck injuries, and abdominal pain.
Setting:
Accident department of a large metropolitan district general hospital.
Patients:
15,875 patients attending the accident department over two years.
Main Outcome Measure:
Proportion of patients having radiography.
Results:
Referrals for skull radiography fell from 56% to 20% and those for abdominal radiography fell from 31% to 7%. Referral patterns for adults attending with twisted ankles and cervical spine injuries did not change. Reductions were sustained over two years.
Conclusion:
Carefully designed posters provide a simple method of reducing unnecessary x ray examinations.