title: A survey of policies and procedures on the communication and documentation of radiologic interpretations.
abstract: Research into emergency medicine (EM) diagnostic errors identified imaging as a contributing factor in 94% of cases. Discrepancies between the preliminary (trainee) and the final (attending) diagnostic imaging interpretation represent a system issue that is particularly prone to creating diagnostic errors. Understanding the types of systematic communication and documentation strategies developed by academic radiology departments to address differences between preliminary and final radiology interpretations to clinicians are threshold steps toward minimizing this risk. This study investigates policies and practices associated with the communication and documentation of preliminary and final radiologic interpretations among U.S. academic radiology departments through a questionnaire directed at radiology department chairs.
authors.affiliation: Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
authors.forename: Edward P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Monico
authors.forename: Howard P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Forman
authors.forename: T Rob
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: G Luke
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Larkin
mesh_terms: D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000592:standards*; D004282:Documentation; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D011872:Radiology Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011873:Radiology Information Systems / Q000458:organization & administration