RADIOLOGIC CONSULTATION - EFFECT ON INPATIENT DIAGNOSTIC-IMAGING EVALUATION IN A TEACHING HOSPITAL

Rationale and Objectives. The authors evaluated radiologic consultatio n affecting resident physician ordering of relatively expensive imagin g studies. Methods. Requisitions (n = 180) for expensive imaging studi es from three general medicine floors (two consultation floors, one co ntrol floor) were prospectively evaluated. Information on the requisit ions was classified as appropriate, inappropriate, or undecided if ins ufficient information was provided. On the consultation floors, but no t the control floor, the medical residents were contacted about all st udies initially considered inappropriate or undecided before they were performed. Results. Nine of 119 requisitions (7.6%) from the consulta tion floors were considered inappropriate. In three studies (2.5%) the imaging evaluation was modified as the result of the interaction with the radiologist. There was no significant difference in the total num ber of radiologic studies or percentage of the total that were expensi ve imaging studies when comparing the consultation floors with the con trol floor. Conclusion. Radiologic consultation on expensive imaging s tudies through routine review of requisitions did not significantly ch ange their use by house staff.