Radiologists at a New York hospital no longer just read imaging scans. They also help doctors make medication decisions via "virtual morning rounds."
NYU Langone Medical Center is working to reverse a trend that has pushed radiologists to the back as imaging technologies went digital, according to an article in The Wall Street Journal.
Michael Recht, M.D., chairman of NYU’s radiology department, told the publication that the idea for the virtual rounds came three years ago as he prepared to take a family trip to Walt Disney World. While planning the vacation, he chatted with staff members at the park online, he said, and that inspired the idea to create a similar program for the hospital’s radiologists.
NYU introduced the virtual rounds two years ago, according to WSJ, and it allows doctors in select units to review scans with radiologists through a shared computer screen. Radiologists flag issues that the unit physicians may miss, and having almost immediate virtual access allows them to answer questions or reexamine concerning areas more quickly, according to the article. And the action has helped eliminate communication breakdowns between physicians and radiologists that can increase the risk for patient harm.
“Our role isn’t only to acquire the images and interpret the images but to help our referring physicians in caring for our patients,” David Larson, M.D., an associate professor of pediatric radiology at Stanford University School of Medicine, told the publication. Stanford has also worked to make radiologists more available to physicians, according to the article.
Recht has also led the charge in making radiology reports more accessible to physicians. The reports include stills from MRIs and other scans that are embedded in the document, with potential problem areas clearly marked, according to the WSJ.
Some physicians at the hospital, though, caution that such reports, while incredibly useful, can include false flags, as radiologists may not be familiar with a patient’s medical history and his or her specific, current symptoms, according to the article.
- here’s the article