Radiologist's Blog

Does your organization have a developed logic to guide radiology test ordering?

How does one play this complex game? Are there rules agreed upon before hand?
Or is it a power-might decides milieu in which you work?

Differing Milieus
Some teaching hospital Radiology heads and professors command so much authority that they can tell the clinical departments-
“We will do it this way, or you can get it done elsewhere!”.

On the other end of the spectrum is the practicing radiologist who has to comply by the whims of “big-referring-clinicians” who are in tandem with the finance owners.

How much rational choice does one have, in either milieu? From cheering the “Radiology Generals” to (self) pitying the “Foot soldiers” we have a wide spectrum.

In the middle of this, the right of information of the patient probably got almost forgotten.

Reading some comments on Forum of IRADIX regarding who should inject contrast and how many scans may be done on a child made me think for a while.

Are these institutional or individual decisions? Can the professional organization be involved to suggest guidelines of practice?

Putting up statutory warnings as some friends were suggesting could be a topic for discussion in the next national conference.

It would be prudent to take the considered opinion of some more senior experienced learned teachers before doing such things. Maybe an organizational sub-committee of IRADIX could come up with some guidelines on these issues.

 

Who decides?

No altruist lives in isolation.

 

Our medical teachers drilled the importance of numbers into us. Starting a history without knowing the age of the patient was an absolute “No-No” in front of my guide.

We all count
IRADIX Job section often sends alerts telling radiologists of an opening with a salary of over 100,000 Indian rupees. Or there is a count of the largest online community-over 3315 by now.

And of late, the “Best Radiology Teacher” vote is probably the most visited section of IRADIX.

One of my Alma mater was goading me to Vote.

Does one give Bharat Ratna to Mahatma Gandhi? I queried.

But then he/she may be ‘voted’ 2nd or 3rd best teacher, came the reply.

I never thought of it like that.

The debate ..and counting continues.