Ethical impact of suboptimal referrals on delivery of care in radiology department

The referral is the key source of information that enables radiologists and radiographers to provide quality services. However, the frequency of suboptimal referrals is widely reported. This research reviews the literature to illuminate the challenges suboptimal referrals present to the delivery of...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of medical ethics 2022-12, Vol.48 (12), p.1020-1025
Main Authors: Chilanga, Catherine Chilute, Lysdahl, Kristin Bakke
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abdomen
Artificial Intelligence
Beneficence
Communication
ethics
health personnel
Hospitals
Humans
Magnetic resonance imaging
Medical ethics
Medical imaging
Medical referrals
Original research
Patients
Pre-existing conditions
Professional ethics
quality of health care
Radiation
Radiology
Radiology - methods
Referral and Consultation
Thyroid diseases
Ultrasonic imaging
X-rays
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The referral is the key source of information that enables radiologists and radiographers to provide quality services. However, the frequency of suboptimal referrals is widely reported. This research reviews the literature to illuminate the challenges suboptimal referrals present to the delivery of care in radiology departments. The concept of suboptimal referral includes information, that is; missing, insufficient, inconsistent, misleading, hard to interpret or wrong. The research uses the four ethical principles of non-maleficence, beneficence, Autonomy and Justice as an analytic framework.Suboptimal referrals can cause harm by hindering safe contrast-media administration, proper radiation protection by justification of procedures, and compassionate patient care. Suboptimal referrals also hinder promoting patient benefits from the correct choice of imaging modality and protocol, an optimal performed examination, and an accurate radiology report. Additionally, patient autonomy is compromised from the lack of information needed to facilitate benefit–risk communication. Finally, suboptimal referrals challenge justice based on lack of reasonable patient prioritising and the unfairness caused by unnecessary examinations.These findings illuminate how suboptimal referrals can inhibit good health and well-being for patients in relation to safety, missed opportunities, patient anxiety and dissatisfaction. The ethical challenges identified calls for solutions. Referral-decision support tools and artificial intelligence may improve referral quality, when implemented. Strategies addressing efforts of radiology professionals are inevitable, including gatekeeping, shared decision-making and inter-professional communication; thereby raising awareness of the importance of good referral quality and promoting commitment to ethical professional conduct.
ISSN:0306-6800
1473-4257
DOI:10.1136/medethics-2021-107335