Nogah Shabshin MD, MBA, Presenter: Consultant, Active Implants Corporation

Sahar Darawshi, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Ifat Abadi-Korek PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Martine Szyper-Kravitz MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Joshua Shemer MD, MPH, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

In recent years communicating radiology reports to patients directly through an internet portal is becoming more popular. Patients log into a portal with a personal password and can view the radiology report. Although online access is the fastest way to get the report, in our institution, after 5 years of using this technology, only 30% of patients log in to the portal. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether patients with abnormal studies who didn’t access their reports online received the results, and to examine whether they returned to the referring physicians for further work-up and treatment.

A telephone survey was conducted with1594 patients who had an abnormal CT or MRI between April and October 2012, and whom received a password for the internet portal but did not log in. Patients were asked the following questions: "Did you receive the report?" If answered yes: "did you return to your referring physician after receiving the report"?

Two hundred and twenty of 1594 (14%) patients with abnormal studies that did not log into the portal did not receive the results although these were available to them. Of the 1374 patient that did get the results 190 (14%) patients did not return to their referring physician.

Despite the availability of the reports online, and despite studies reporting that patients prefer to receive results fast, preferably online, the utilization of this technology is surprisingly low and most patients receive the results in an alternative way. When patients receive abnormal reports not through their physician, the compliance for further work-up and treatment is concerning and may lead to delay in diagnosis and treatment.

Even when patients receive results directly it is of high importance to deliver the results to the referring physician as well to minimize delayed patient care.  

Shabshin, N, Darawshi, S, Abadi-Korek, I, Szyper-Kravitz, M, Shemer, J, Patient Access to Radiology Report Via an Internet Portal: Low Rate of Patient Utilization and Concerns about Delayed Care.  Radiological Society of North America 2013 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, December 1 - December 6, 2013 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2013/13020857.html