J Am Coll Radiol. 2016 May;13(5):562-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jacr.2015.10.027. Epub 2016 Feb 24.
Aripoli AM1, Fishback SJ2, Morgan RL3, Hill JD2, Robinson AL2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM
In the era of PACS, imaging has become more efficient and accessible. However, direct consulation and verbal communication between referring phyisicans and radiologists has dramatically decreased by as much as 82% [1]. As a result, opportunities to develop professional relationships with referring physicians have declined. Radiologists are in a unique position to assume a central role in the inpatient care setting by consulting with medical colleagues, discussing the meaning of imaging reports, and designing approaches to further guide diagnosis and management. Consutling services are gaining attention as an avenue to increase the value of radiologic servces [2,3]. To this end, the ACR Imaging 3.0TM initiative promotes establishing radiologists as valuable consultants in patient care [4].