Primary care physicians like to deliver the results of radiology examinations to their patients and feel legally obligated by recommendations within radiology reports, according to a new study published in the February issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology.
Dr. Andrew Gunn of Massachusetts General Hospital and colleagues sent an online survey to 229 primary care physicians through an internal list server (JACR, February 2013, Vol. 10:2, pp. 122-127).
One hundred doctors responded, with the following results:
- 95% felt that ordering physicians should deliver the results of examinations.
- None felt that radiologists should deliver results directly to patients.
- 94% felt medicolegally obligated by recommendations made by radiologists within their reports.
- 23% feel more medicolegally obligated if the recommendation is set apart from the clinical impression.
- 58% feel less medicolegally obligated if qualifying language is added to the recommendation.
"Continuing improvements in radiology reporting practices are essential to the service that radiologists provide to patients and referring physicians," according to the authors. "These improvements, however, should consider the preferences of both patients and referring physicians to optimize care."
