Abstract:
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Purpose: To undertake a systematic review of published radiological literature in order to 1) survey the prevalence of outcome measurement, 2) identify key outcome measures used, 3) access the acceptability of these outcome measures and 4) investigate the extent to which patient defined outcomes are incorporated within radiology departments.
Methods and Materials: We identified papers for possible inclusion by searching electronic databases such as MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE. The protocol followed that described by the NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, University of York (UK) and was accepted by the Royal College of Radiologists (UK), who funded this work. This included the stages of:formulation of search strategy; search of databases;reading of abstracts; retrieval of articles; initial paper review; data synthesis; meta-analysis; write up and dissemination. The main subject heading used were radiology utility,radiolgy outcomes, radiology satisfaction, radiology perceptions and also replaced radiology with diagnostic imaging.Searches were restricted to papers published in english between 1990 and the present day.
Results: A total of 517 studies were found, of these 6.8% were included as they described outcomes used in radiology. The majority of which had been published in the USA. The main emphasis was on cost-effectiveness. Few were patient focussed and those that were described patient satisfaction surveys. British research in general highlighted patient's experience regarding anxiety and fears and Scandinavian mammographic studies commonly reported patient pain as well as anxiety.
Conclusion: This work supports the previous review (Blackmore et al 1999) which was carried out in the USA. This demonstrated the difficulties of defining and measuring outcome measures. This is particularly challenging when a 'single diagnostic test may be far removed from eventual patient outcome.'Our review reinforced the view that outcomes are usually defined by service providers, who seldom investigate the patient's perception of outcome. It also revealed a lack of knowledge regarding which aspects of investigative procedures patients would wish to see routinly audited.Radiographers and radiologists urgently need to address this.
Questions about this event email: s.mathers@rgu.ac.uk
Mathers, S,
Challenges in Measuring Patient Defined Outcomes in Diagnostic Radiological Investigations. Radiological Society of North America 2003 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 30 - December 5, 2003 ,Chicago IL.
http://archive.rsna.org/2003/3104163.html
