Patient care and the development of the clinical assistant in interventional radiology.

At the Johns Hopkins Hospital, a cardiovascular radiology "clinical assistant" position was created to assist the radiologist in performing interventional radiology procedures. It was soon apparent that the clinical assistant could contribute a great deal to patient management before and after the procedure. Additionally, patient and housestaff education was facilitated, and continuity of care was maintained. The clinical assistant has become an indispensable part of the health care team in interventional radiology.