Referral criteria and clinical decision support: radiological protection aspects for justification

Advanced imaging technology has opened new horizons for medical diagnostics and improved patient care. However, many procedures are unjustified and do not provide a net benefit. An area of particular concern is the unnecessary use of radiation when clinical evaluation or other imaging modalities cou...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annals of the ICRP 2015-06, Vol.44 (1_suppl), p.276-287
Main Author: del Rosario Perez, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Criteria
Decision Support Systems, Clinical - standards
Deviation
Diagnostic Imaging - statistics & numerical data
Diagnostic systems
Health
Health care
Humans
Imaging
Patients
Radiation protection
Radiation Protection - standards
Referral and Consultation - standards
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Summary:Advanced imaging technology has opened new horizons for medical diagnostics and improved patient care. However, many procedures are unjustified and do not provide a net benefit. An area of particular concern is the unnecessary use of radiation when clinical evaluation or other imaging modalities could provide an accurate diagnosis. Referral criteria for medical imaging are consensus statements based on the best-available evidence to assist the decision-making process when choosing the best imaging procedure for a given patient. Although they are advisory rather than compulsory, physicians should have good reasons for deviation from these criteria. Voluntary use of referral criteria has shown limited success compared with integration into clinical decision support systems. These systems support good medical practice, can improve health service delivery, and foster safer, more efficient, fair, cost-effective care, thus contributing to the strengthening of health systems. Justification of procedures and optimisation of protection, the two pillars of radiological protection in health care, are implicit in the notion of good medical practice. However, some health professionals are not familiar with these principles, and have low awareness of radiological protection aspects of justification. A stronger collaboration between radiation protection and healthcare communities could contribute to improve the radiation protection culture in medical practice.
ISSN:0146-6453
1872-969X
DOI:10.1177/0146645314551673