Direct communication key to quality patient-centered care, physician satisfaction

Many radiologists want to communicate more directly with patients but feel constrained by time and their workload, according to a new study published in Radiology. This can potentially affect patient-centered care and physician satisfaction.

“Practicing patient-centered radiology entails more than just talking to patients,” said lead author Jennifer Kemp, MD, with Diversified Radiology of Colorado, and colleagues. “In fact, in many cases, meeting with patients is simply not an option. Being patient-centered means considering the patient experience holistically, from scheduling through the imaging examination itself to reporting, billing, and future communications. It means making an effort to improve patient care and experience overall, not just the delivery of results.”

As part of the RSNA Patient-centered Radiology Steering Committee, Kemp et al. sought to assess RSNA members’ general attitudes toward patient-centered radiology and their perceived barriers to direct communication with patients.

An anonymous electronic survey was issued to nearly 6,000 radiologists. Of the 694 respondents, 89 percent believed that promoting awareness of radiology's role in patients’ overall healthcare is important to how they practice. Seventy-three percent of respondents reported that time or workload frequently prevented them from communicating directly with patients. And 74 percent said a personal sense of satisfaction would motivate them to communicate more directly with patients.

Fifty-seven percent of radiologists said changes to reimbursement and compensation would help them communicate more directly with patients. However, the authors noted, though the survey indicates enhanced financial reimbursement would provide an incentive for many radiologists to communicate more directly with patients, it is unlikely to happen.

“As radiology continues to shift from a volume-based to a value-based practice, the art of patient-centered care will continue to grow in prominence and importance because of its potential to enhance the patient experience throughout the continuum of care,” Kemp et al. wrote. “Practicing patient-centered radiology has the added benefit of making the essential role of the radiologist in health care more visible to our patients. Most importantly, it assures patients that the care we provide to them is no less than the care we would provide a loved one.”