A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology (JACR) found an increase in total articles focused on patient-centered care in radiology, but the number of journals focused on the subject remains limited.

The researchers found that since 2000, only four radiology journals have published about 40 original research articles on patient-centered care in radiology all together. 

"We found that the most common themes of those 40 articles were optimization of patients' access to reports and images, patients' experience in undergoing the examination, image evaluation and radiologists meeting with patients," stated Andrew Rosenkrantz, MD, MPA, lead study author and a Neiman Institute affiliate research fellow in a statement.

Rosenkrantz and his team found no articles relating to patients in system-level decisions, which James V. Rawson, MD, a member of the Neiman Institute's advisory board and chair of radiology at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, says is what helps disseminate best practices.

"Including patients and families in what we do as radiologists is just the right thing to do. It enables better care for our patients and a better experience for them and their families. It's about a very different bottom line-engaging patients in their own care," said Rawson.