title: Radiologists' perspectives about evidence-based medicine and their clinical practice: a semistructured interview study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe radiologist's attitudes and perspectives on evidence-based medicine (EBM) and their practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Face-to-face semistructured interviews, thematic analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  24 institutions across six Australian states and New Zealand. Transcripts were imported into HyperRESEARCH software and thematically analysed.
  
  
  METHODS
  25 radiologists.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six themes were identified: legitimising decisions (validated justification, prioritising patient preferences, reinforcing protocols), optimising outcomes (ensuring patient safety, maximising efficiency), availability of access (requiring immediacy, inadequacy of evidence, time constraints, proximity of peer networks, grasping information dispersion), over-riding pragmatism (perceptibly applicability, preserving the art of medicine, technical demands), limited confidence (conceptual obscurity, reputation-based trust, demands constant practice, suspicion and cynicism), and competing powers (hierarchical conflict, prevailing commercial interests).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radiologists believe EBM can support clinical decision-making for optimal patient outcomes and service efficiency but feel limited in their capacities to assimilate and apply EBM in practice. Improving access to evidence, providing ongoing education and training supplemented with practical tools for appraising evidence; and developing evidence-based guidelines and protocols may enhance feasibility and promote the confidence and skills among radiologists in applying EBM in radiology practice for better patient care.
authors.affiliation: Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Centre for Kidney Research, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: Storr Liver Unit, Westmead Millennium Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Suzanne E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Mahady
authors.affiliation: Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Centre for Kidney Research, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Jonathan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.affiliation: Otago Radiology Limited, Pacific Radiology Group, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Gabes
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Peduto
authors.affiliation: Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Clement
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003657:Decision Making; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D011871:Radiology
keywords: EDUCATION & TRAINING (see Medical Education & Training); EPIDEMIOLOGY; PUBLIC HEALTH; QUALITATIVE RESEARCH; RADIOLOGY & IMAGING