CONCEPT OF IMAGING REFFERAL
This is something that I have felt in my days as a diagnostic radiologist. Sometimes the physicians order imaging investigations just like they order an ECG or any other minor investigation. I have always believed that what a clinician should do instead of ordering an investigation he should write an imaging referral to a Radiologist who should then guide the patient accordingly. What investigation should be done should not be decided by the referring physician but by the Radiologist. That way the number of repeat X-rays done would reduce dramatically. Also this would enable the Radiologist to look at the patient as a whole not as a radiograph or a CT scan. That the patient is referred for Imaging to Radiologist, with the possible Differential Diagnoses that thereferring clinician wants to be considered, and the Radiologist decides which all imaging modalities and how should they be done.
In last some time Radiology has gradually but surely got to the peak of the medical branches opted by a medical graduate. In times to come if we the current radiologists promote this beautiful subject as an imaging specialty where patients are referred for imaging and you guide the patient to the diagnosis. Anyhow we radiologists are making the majority of diagnosis!!!!
In times to come we can have a “Diagnostic Referral” instead of “Imaging Referral” where cases would be referred to a Radiologist and a Pathologist for diagnosis by the physician.
This is something that I have felt in my days as a diagnostic radiologist. Sometimes the physicians order imaging investigations just like they order an ECG or any other minor investigation. I have always believed that what a clinician should do instead of ordering an investigation he should write an imaging referral to a Radiologist who should then guide the patient accordingly. What investigation should be done should not be decided by the referring physician but by the Radiologist. That way the number of repeat X-rays done would reduce dramatically. Also this would enable the Radiologist to look at the patient as a whole not as a radiograph or a CT scan. That the patient is referred for Imaging to Radiologist, with the possible Differential Diagnoses that thereferring clinician wants to be considered, and the Radiologist decides which all imaging modalities and how should they be done.
In last some time Radiology has gradually but surely got to the peak of the medical branches opted by a medical graduate. In times to come if we the current radiologists promote this beautiful subject as an imaging specialty where patients are referred for imaging and you guide the patient to the diagnosis. Anyhow we radiologists are making the majority of diagnosis!!!!
In times to come we can have a “Diagnostic Referral” instead of “Imaging Referral” where cases would be referred to a Radiologist and a Pathologist for diagnosis by the physician.
Any comments and suggestions are welcome....
No comments:
Post a Comment