Mindy Licurse MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

William W. Boonn MD, Abstract Co-Author: Founder, Montage Healthcare Solutions, Inc Shareholder, Montage Healthcare Solutions, Inc Shareholder, Nuance Communications, Inc Shareholder, Merge Healthcare Incorporated

Scott Raymond Steingall ARRT, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

There is poor cost awareness amongst radiologists at every level. While the effect on clinical utility and cost savings has yet to be measured, a solid understanding of radiology costs is essential if radiologists are to play a vital role in value based care.

The long-standing lack of cost awareness amongst physicians is cited as one of the contributors to the high cost of U.S. healthcare. Studies have shown substantial cost savings in specialties such as surgery due to cost-awareness interventions. Despite surging attention on overutilization of radiology exams, radiologists themselves have poor knowledge of exam costs. With the rise of Meaningful Use and shifts towards quality driven and quantity controlled patient care, clinical coordination becomes paramount. Increasing cost awareness amongst radiologists allows for an integrated and informed decision-making process between radiologists, referring physicians, and patients. Implementation of a tool displaying a range of costs for each exam interpreted by a radiologist allows for knowledge building towards this goal.

A pre-intervention survey evaluated cost perceptions amongst radiologists of differing experience and modalities. After the survey, an application built into an institutional clinical web portal was activated. Upon opening an exam, the application displays the average Medicare hospital reimbursement for the specific exam and average professional reimbursement. After a period of two months, a post-intervention survey was distributed to the same population evaluating the effect of the tool on cost awareness.

While knowing the cost of an exam may not seem beneficial to a radiologist, it does in fact play a vital role for patient care. Radiologist cost awareness may allow for improved multidisciplinary decision making with referring clinicians and become a standard part of consultation regarding the cost-benefit ratio of tests both financially and clinically. With the evolution of shared knowledge, both radiologists and referring physicians are more likely to meet health care legislation along with possible cost-saving due to increased price transparency.

Licurse, M, Boonn, W, Steingall, S, PRICETag -- A Real-time Application for Radiology Examination Costs during Image Examination Protocol and Interpretation.  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14016424.html