Abstract

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to test a previously-published hypothetical framework of different referring provider needs for primary care, specialty care, and urgent/emergent care practitioners through questions asked in an annual survey at an academic medical center. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Seven questions regarding provider needs were included in an annual online anonymous survey of referring providers. Multiple choice responses were provided. Differences in responses between provider types were assessed using the Mann-Whitney U test RESULTS. The survey was sent to 3,325 providers. 514 responses were received (response rate = 15.5%). 349 responses were included in the analysis, including 81 responses from primary care, 205 responses from specialty care, and 54 responses from urgent or emergency care. Results indicated that 1) urgent care providers need examinations to be performed and interpreted more quickly, 2) specialist providers prefer greater radiologist specialization, 3) urgent care providers order imaging with greater frequency 4) primary care and urgent care providers order a greater breadth of imaging, 5) primary care providers report greater reliance on radiologist interpretations, and 6) all provider types highly value direct interactions with radiologists. All results were statistically significant and matched the previously-established hypotheses. CONCLUSION. These results support the concept that referring providers tend to value different aspects of radiology services differently, according to predictable characteristics. The findings suggest that the concept of value in radiology is highly context-specific and can potentially be evaluated, at least in part, using practice-specific referring provider assessments.

View details for DOI 10.2214/AJR.19.22738

View details for PubMedID 32603226