title: Does Direct Radiologist-Patient Verbal Communication Affect Follow-Up Compliance of Probably Benign Assessments?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine whether direct verbal communication of results by a radiologist affected follow-up compliance rates for probably benign breast imaging findings.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was institutional review board approved and HIPAA compliant. A retrospective search identified all patients from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010 who had breast findings newly assessed as probably benign (BI-RADS category 3). Patients were categorized by whether the radiologist or the technologist verbally communicated the result and follow-up recommendation. Patient adherence to 6-, 12-, and 24-month follow-up imaging recommendations was recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compliance data were available for 770 of 819 patients in the study. Overall compliance was 83.0% (639 of 770) for 6-month examinations, 68.1% (524 of 770) for 6- and 12-month examinations, and 57.4% (442 of 770) for 6-, 12-, and 24-month examinations. For patients who initially underwent diagnostic mammography alone, there was no significant difference in compliance between those who had and those who did not have radiologist-patient communication (6 months, 81.9% vs 80.8% [P = .83]; 6 and 12 months, 70.8% vs 67.3% [P = .58]; 6, 12, and 24 months, 54.2% vs 58.4% [P = .53]). For patients who initially underwent diagnostic mammography alone versus ultrasound with or without diagnostic mammography, there was no significant difference in compliance (6 months, 81.1% vs 84.3% [P = .24]; 6 and 12 months, 68.1% vs 68.0% [P = .96]; 6, 12, and 24 months, 57.4% vs 57.4% [P = .00]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High initial compliance was achieved by radiologist or technologist verbal communication of findings and recommendations. Direct communication by the radiologist did not increase compliance compared with communication by a technologist.
authors.affiliation: Fort Wayne Radiology, Fort Wayne, Indiana.
authors.forename: Melissa S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Bosma
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Electronic address: hawleyc@med.umich.edu.
authors.forename: Colleen H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Neal
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
authors.forename: Katherine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
authors.forename: Mitra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noroozian
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
authors.forename: Stephanie K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Helvie
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008327:Mammography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Mammography; patient compliance; probably benign; radiologist visibility