Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, PA.
Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, PA.
Curr Probl Diagn Radiol. 2023 Nov-Dec;52(6):519-521. doi: 10.1067/j.cpradiol.2023.08.003. Epub 2023 Aug 25.
Direct interactions between patients and diagnostic radiologists are uncommon, but recent medicolegal developments in the United States may increase patient interest in communicating directly with radiologists. Patient participation rates in prior attempts at direct radiology consultation vary widely in the literature. Our objective was to design and build a virtual radiology consult service for a subset of patients undergoing lung cancer screening CTs to enable communication between patients and radiologists regarding imaging results and radiology recommendations.
Patients scheduled for lung cancer screening CTs were identified using a custom scheduling system and offered via text message a free 15-minute consultation with a radiologist to discuss the results.
Of 38 patients texted, 10 (26.3%) responded. Nine (90%) scheduled a consultation, but 5 (55.5%) subsequently cancelled. Of the remaining four, 3 (75%) attended their appointments, with an overall 3/38 (7.9%) text-to-consult conversation rate. The 3 consults averaged 18 (±8.2) minutes.
The recruitment rate for our virtual service was between the low rate of a prior phone consult line study and the high rate in consults integrated into another physician visit. Further research is needed to identify patients most interested in a radiology consultation and optimize consultation modality by patient population.
患者与放射科医生之间的直接互动并不常见，但美国最近的医疗法律发展可能会增加患者与放射科医生直接沟通的兴趣。文献中先前尝试直接放射学咨询的患者参与率差异很大。我们的目的是为接受肺癌筛查 CT 的患者设计并建立一个虚拟放射学咨询服务，使患者和放射科医生能够就影像学结果和放射学建议进行交流。
使用自定义预约系统识别接受肺癌筛查 CT 的患者，并通过短信向他们提供与放射科医生免费进行 15 分钟咨询的机会，以讨论结果。
在被短信通知的 38 名患者中，有 10 名（26.3%）做出了回应。9 名（90%）预约了咨询，但 5 名（55.5%）随后取消了预约。在剩下的 4 名患者中，有 3 名（75%）参加了他们的预约，总体文本到咨询的对话率为 3/38（7.9%）。3 次咨询的平均时长为 18 分钟（±8.2 分钟）。
我们的虚拟服务的招募率介于之前电话咨询线路研究的低参与率和整合到另一次医生就诊中的咨询的高参与率之间。需要进一步研究以确定最有兴趣进行放射学咨询的患者，并根据患者群体优化咨询模式。
