For patients who were undergoing an imaging test, 78 percent said they lacked basic information about the procedure before the test occurred, and nearly as many patients reported they wanted more information from their ordering provider, according to a study published in Radiology.
"This means one in five people are showing up for the exam without any information about the test they are getting," said lead author Jay K. Pahade, MD.
To determine how they preferred to receive information about imaging before an exam and which information they thought was most helpful, the study authors gave patients and caregivers a 24-item survey at three pediatric and three adult hospitals in between January and May 2015
Out of 1,742 surveys distributed, respondents returned 1,542 (89 percent).
Here are five findings from the study.
1. Over half of patients — 52 percent — said they sought information on imaging procedures themselves. Thirty-four percent of patients sought information from the ordering provider's office and 31 percent sought information on the ordering provider's website.
2. The majority of respondents — 72 percent — wanted to receive information from their ordering provider, as opposed to other providers. However, 64 percent of patients said they did receive information from their ordering provider.
3. An additional 21 percent of respondents preferred receiving information from the test center. Only nine percent wished to receive information from the person administering the test.
4. Over half — 52 percent — of patients preferred a phone call for how they wanted to receive information about their upcoming test, and 37 percent preferred in-person communication.
5. The survey found patients also think preparation for their test is more important than receiving information on radiation exposure. Respondents most frequently gave the highest importance scores (4 or higher on a Likert 5-point scale) for information about preparing for the exam (74 percent), which was followed by information about the test's necessity (71 percent).