Page 12 - 2022 Risk Basics - Radiology

SVMIC Risk Basics: Radiology

Communication Issues

As cited by nationally recognized expert Leonard M. Berlin, MD,

“Communications of a diagnosis so that it may be beneficially utilized
may be altogether as important as the diagnosis itself.” On a national
3
level, the failure to timely and directly communicate radiologic test results
is a common cause of malpractice claims.

Our internal analysis revealed that 17 percent of the claims paid fall into
this category. In several cases, the radiologist failed to inform the surgeon

or emergency medicine physician of a significant finding on an amended
report.

C A S E S T U DY

For example, a pelvic ultrasound was read initially as normal by the

radiologist but was amended three hours later to include a large
staghorn calculus. No phone call was made to the treating physician,

who failed to see the amended report during follow-up visits. The
patient eventually required a nephrectomy.

Inadequate consent was also alleged in a number of cases, where either

the patient was not provided with sufficient information about the risks or
alternatives of an interventional procedure, or when such information was
provided after the patient had received pre-procedure anesthesia or was

under the effects of sedation from a prior procedure.

3 Failure of Radiologic Communication: An Increasing Cause of Malpractice Litigation and Harm to Patients,
Applied Radiology, Leonard M. Berlin, M.D. FACR, February 8, 2010.

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