Page 20 - Diagnostic Radiology - Interpreting the Risks Part Two_Neat

SVMIC Diagnostic Radiology: Interpreting the Risks

• Consistently focus on clear effective communication,

especially clear written communication, so that the
radiologist’s message is not lost or misunderstood

• Use harm mitigation and fail-safe strategies to place

redundant layers of protection between the radiologist and
the patient, including trigger tools to identify errors so that
they can be corrected before harm occurs

• Reduce, to the extent possible, interruptions and

distractions

• Give attention to individual physician factors, such as

illness or advancing age, and it may be appropriate in
some isolated cases to assure that these factors do not

significantly affect diagnostic performance

• Employ systems-level thinking – understanding the

individual radiologist’s role within the context of the
larger healthcare team and process and empathetically

understanding the roles and needs of others within that
system

• Foster a blame-free and just culture 6

Key Challenge #4: The “Invisible”

Radiologist

An issue that can be considered the reverse side of the

communication coin is the challenge of the “invisible role” of the
radiologist in the modern medical practice. This lack of direct
patient interaction, while not the basis for a claim, can certainly

6 Understanding and Confronting Our Mistakes: the Epidemiology of Error in Radiology and Strategies
for Error Reduction, RadioGraphics 2015; 35:1668-1676.

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