Lina Nayak MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Christopher Frederick Beaulieu MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Daniel L. Rubin MD,MS, Abstract Co-Author: Grant, General Electric Company Grant, Siemens AG

Jafi Alyssa Lipson MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Radiology reports are the major, and often only, means of communication between radiologists and their referring clinicians. Radiology reports could include embedded images (“multimedia reports”) though the value to referring physicians has not been studied. The purpose of this study is to identify referring physicians’ preferences about radiology reports and quantify their perceived value of multimedia reports compared with narrative text reports.

1800 attending physicians from a range of specialties at large tertiary care medical center were contacted by email and a hospital newsletter linking to a 25-question web-based electronic survey between July and November 2012. 160 physicians responded, yielding a response rate of 8.9%. Survey results were analyzed using Statistical Analysis Software (SAS Institute Inc, Cary, NC).

142 out of the 160 referring physicians respondents (89%) indicated a general interest in reports with embedded images and completed the remainder of the survey questions. 103 out of 142 respondents (73%) agreed or strongly agreed that reports with embedded images could improve the quality of interactions with radiologists. 97 out of 142 respondents (68%) agreed or strongly agreed that having access to the significant/key images embedded in an electronic version of the text report would significantly reduce the time required to understand/process the information in the report. 129 out of 142 respondents (91%) agreed or strongly agreed that having access to the significant/key images when reviewing a text-based report enhances understanding of the report content. Regarding physician satisfaction, 110 out of 142 respondents (77%) agreed or strongly agreed that multimedia reports would significantly improve referring physician satisfaction, and 85 out of 142 respondents (60%) felt strongly or very strongly that multimedia reports would significantly improve patient care and outcomes.

Creating accessible, readable, and automatic multimedia reports should be a high priority to enhance the practice and satisfaction of referring physicians, improve patient care, and enhance the critical role radiology plays in current medical care.

Multimedia radiology reports are regarded as clinically valuable to referring physicians for improving patient outcomes.

Nayak, L, Beaulieu, C, Rubin, D, Lipson, J, A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words: Needs Assessment for Multimedia Radiology Reports in a Large Tertiary Care Medical Center.  Radiological Society of North America 2013 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, December 1 - December 6, 2013 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2013/13044119.html