Conducting patient-radiologist consultations in the reading room immediately after lung cancer screening is a promising way for the specialty to contribute added value, according to new research.
University of Chicago Medicine recently piloted this practice change, inviting nearly 40 patients to speak with their radiologist after low dose CT scans. Consultations lasted about 10 minutes or less, with specialists providing a preliminary interpretation of imaging findings in conjunction with smoking cessation counseling.
In follow-up surveys, patients (who were mostly African American) shared positive feedback about their experience, researchers detailed in Current Problems in Diagnostic Radiology [1].
“Incorporating consultations with radiologists as part of clinically provided care for patients undergoing [lung cancer screening] can provide a useful, meaningful resource to help patients become more aware of LCS availability, criteria and frequency in a largely black population,” Jonathan H. Chung, MD, with the Department of Diagnostic Radiology at University of Chicago Medicine, and co-authors concluded. “In addition, such consultations can also have the potential to serve as a smoking cessation intervention for current smokers through patient education, visualization and better understanding of their own LCS imaging.”
UChicago conducted the quality improvement pilot over the two months ending at mid-August 2022. Patients were eligible if they had a significant smoking history and were between the ages of 50 and 80. A total of 38 individuals completed the pre- and post-intervention survey, including 20 smokers and 18 more who had quit. Nearly 87% expressed initial interest in the radiologist consultations, while 100% were more compelled afterward. On lung cancer screening logistics, 71% had prior knowledge at baseline, which increased to 90% after. For current smokers, 90% were already motivated to quit, which climbed to 100% after the conversation. And 90%-plus were interested in smoking cessation resources before and afterward.
The study was limited by its small sample size and short timeframe. Read more about the results in CPDR.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.