A majority of patients in the United States who undergo a diagnostic imaging procedure are satisfied with the overall experience, according to the results of a new survey conducted by Healthcare Research Worldwide. However, approximately half of those patients feel anxious leading up to actual examination. What do these findings mean for imaging providers going forward?
The survey included 162 responses from patients in the United States. There were more than 1,000 responses overall, including patients from Brazil, France, Italy, Germany, Japan and South Korea. All patients answered questions online and had undergone CT or MRI within the last year.
“Medical imaging is critical to detecting and monitoring a variety of diseases, but patients are often nervous when they learn they need an MRI or CT scan, about the procedure itself and the results,” Jocelyn Rapelyea, MD, professor and residency program director of diagnostic radiology and associate director of breast imaging and intervention at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., said in a prepared statement. “These findings will help radiology suites better understand their patient's needs, help reduce anxiety and better prepare them for their procedure, which may ultimately increase image quality.”
Another noteworthy finding was the fact that more than 75 percent of U.S. patients said the quality of the consultation with their healthcare providers was “the most important factor during their imaging experience,” according to the release. Also, just 18 percent of patients were comfortable with a computer reading their exam as opposed to an actual specialist.
Bayer worked with Healthcare Research Worldwide to sponsor the survey.
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.