Most patients want online access to their test results - even if the findings are difficult to understand.
Most patients want online access to their radiology test results - even if the findings are difficult to understand and their doctor might not be available to discuss them right away.
That’s according to a study published this week in the Journal of the American College of Radiology. Researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center presented 53 adult imaging center patients with three simulated scenarios designed to determine if, and how quickly, patients want online access to radiology test results.
"Our study showed that even though the participants didn't completely understand the medical terminology, they wanted to be able to read the detailed report as soon as possible," said Annette Johnson, MD, associate professor of radiology at Wake Forest Baptist and principal investigator of the study.
Johnson noted that the traditional route for delivering results - verbally through a referring physician - can create delays and barriers in communication, as well as cause patient anxiety. Patient portals, on the other hand, are increasingly providing patients with secure online access to their records, and patients are increasingly demanding that information.
In the Wake Forest Baptist study, 81 percent of the participants said they likely would use an online portal to access radiologic test results if given the option. Forty-three percent said they preferred the online portal over other forms of communication, including a phone call, mailed letter, email, or return visit with their doctor. Patients also said they preferred immediate access to results, and more than 80 percent wanted access within three days.
According to Johnson, very few U.S. hospitals offer patients online access to radiology reports, and delay to view results is usually a week or more. Wake Forest Baptist is secure patient-access web portal that will have a three-day turnaround time when it is launched this fall.
Johnson and colleagues also noted that more research needs to be done on the effects of immediate access on provider workflow and the potential patient anxiety and autonomy.
The three scenarios presented were: a patient suffering from headaches whose head CT showed a normal-appearing brain but some sinusitis; a patient experiencing double vision whose brain MRI showed multiple brain lesions from an unknown cause, possibly multiple sclerosis or vasculitis; and a patient with back pain and right leg weakness whose MRI showed cancer compressing spinal nerves.
The Reading Room: Artificial Intelligence: What RSNA 2020 Offered, and What 2021 Could Bring
December 5th 2020Nina Kottler, M.D., chief medical officer of AI at Radiology Partners, discusses, during RSNA 2020, what new developments the annual meeting provided about these technologies, sessions to access, and what to expect in the coming year.
Current Perspectives on Radiology Workforce Issues and Potential Solutions
March 14th 2024Emphasizing the gravity of the ongoing workforce shortage in radiology, these authors recommend a change agenda focusing on expanded numbers of residency positions, reassessment of educational pathways, maintaining a strong presence in hospital settings and practice level initiatives to reduce administrative burden and achieve appropriate reimbursement beyond RVU measurements.
Could Cloud-Based 'Progressive Loading' be a Boon for Radiology Workflows?
March 13th 2024The newly launched Progressive Loading feature, available through RamSoft’s OmegaAI software, reportedly offers radiologist rapid uploading of images that is faster than on-site networks and other cloud-based systems regardless of the network radiologists are using.