Transforming and Supporting Patient Care - Health Professions ...

142Chapter 6 – Scope of Practice of Medical Radiation Technologyillnesses at their most curable stage, and that the practice of medicine willshift from one of disease detection and treatment to one of prediction andprevention in asymptomatic, at-risk populations. 45 While new technologieshave significant impacts on clinical practices, their impacts on patientoutcomes and productivity need further study. 46Radiology has participated in the recent trend towards computerizedmanagement in the health system and has responded to the demand forcost-efficient and rapid communication between departments of radiologyand their users. 47Patient Safety/Risk of HarmEvidence shows that radiation technologists can successfully undertakehigh quality diagnostic reporting for some x-rays and simple images (e.g.,nuclear medicine, barium enemas), thereby alleviating time pressures anddemands on radiologists. However, despite the growing number of studiesthat evaluate the film-reading performance of different healthprofessionals, there is little evidence tracking and reporting thesubsequent effects on the referring clinician’s diagnosis, managementplans and patient outcomes. 48 Outcomes-based research is required toproperly evaluate the risks and benefits of an increasing use of andreliance on both diagnostic imaging and MRTs.One or two studies found that physicians and other health professionals areinsufficiently aware of the long-term health risks associated withradiological imaging. These risks are often ignored in cost effectivenessanalyses of medical imaging. Patients may not be given appropriateinformation about the risks, benefits and radiation dose for diagnosticimaging tests and CT scans. Patients, emergency physicians andradiologists are unable to provide accurate estimates of CT dosesregardless of their experience level. 4945National Institutes of Health. Image Guided Interventions. Department of Health and HumanServices. U.S.A. September 2006.46Hawnaur, Jane. Diagnostic Radiology. British Medical Journal. Vol 319:168-171. 1999.47Hawnaur, Jane. Diagnostic Radiology. British Medical Journal. Vol 319:168-171. 1999; NationalInstitutes of Health. Image Guided Interventions. Department of Health and Human Services, USA.September 2006.48Brealey, S. et al. Radiographers and Radiologists Reporting Plain Radiograph Requests fromAccident and Emergency and General Practice. Clinical Radiology. Vol 60(6):710-717. 2005; Brealey,S.D. and Scuffham, P.A. The effect of introducing radiographer reporting on the availability ofreports for Accident and Emergency and General Practitioner examinations: a time-series analysis.The British Journal of Radiology. Vol 78(930):538-542. 2005; Elliot, L. Radiographer reporting in thenuclear medicine department: a learning curve? Radiography. Vol 9(3):247-251. 2003; Murphy, M. etal. A Comparison of Radiographer and Radiologist Reports on Radiographer Conducted BariumEnemas. Radiography. Vol: 8(4):215-221. 2002; Robinson, P.J.A. et al. Interpretation of SelectedAccident and Emergency Radiographic Examinations by Radiographers: A Review of 11000 Cases.The British Journal of Radiography. Vol 72(858):546-551. 1999.49Lee, C. et al. Diagnostic CT Scans: Assessment of Patient, Physician, and Radiologist Awareness inRadiation Dose and Possible Risks. Radiology. Vol 231:393-398. 2004; McCollough, C. et al. CT DoseReduction and Dose Management Tools: Overview of Available Options. Radiographics. Vol26(2):503-512. March 2006.HPRAC Critical Links January 2009