Objective:To assess the degree of utilization of the radiology request form (RRF), the extent of completion each form, the frequency of filling the fields in all the forms, and its effectiveness as a communication tool between the referring clinicians and radiologists.Materials and Methods:All the RRFs for conventional radiographic examinations were audited over a 3-month period. A database containing all the fields in the form, type of request paper used, and legibility of the physician's handwriting was created. A few resident radiologists in the plain film reporting unit were recruited to join in collecting the data daily. We used simple statistical methods to analyze the extent of completion of each form, frequency of completion of the fields in all the request forms, frequency of use of the appropriate form, and frequency of legibility of the physician's handwriting. The results are expressed in percentages.Results:Five hundred eighty (580) requests were analyzed, consisting of 180 for males and 400 for females. The most-completed request form was 86.67% filled, while the least-completed was 26.67%. The most frequently filled field was the requested examination (99.66%). Of the clinicians, 28% did not use the RRF for their referrals, while 7.37% had illegible handwriting.Conclusion:A significant number of the referring clinicians did not make the best use of the radiology department by not using the institution's approved RRF as an effective means of communication with the radiologists, mainly due to the inadequate completion of the forms.
Objectives: The integration of ultrasound into routine obstetric workup has transformed antenatal care in resource-poor and remote communities in Africa. The present study aims to investigate the utilization of obstetric ultrasound at a cottage hospital in suburban Nigeria. Material and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at Obio Cottage Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, South-South Nigeria. Ethical approval was obtained before commencement of the study from the Health Research Ethics Committee of University of Calabar Teaching Hospital with reference number UCTH/HREC/33/533. Reports were retrieved from the records of the radiology unit of the study facility, and data including biometric data and radiological diagnosis were transferred to Microsoft Excel spreadsheet for data analysis. Simple proportions and percentages were used to analyze the data. All statistical analyses were conducted using Statistical Package for the Social Science version 21.0, IBM Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA. Statistical significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. Results: The total ANC visits at Obio Cottage Hospital was 28,072, with 27% (7689) utilization of ultrasound scan. The mean age and range of parity of attendees were 32 ± 2.3 and 1–5, respectively. Of the total scans performed, 99.93% was routine, while 0.07% (5) was clinical-based (targeted). Normal findings were 7520 (97.8%) of antenatal scans recorded, while abnormal cases, multiple gestation, and uncertain diagnosis accounted for 121 (1.57%), 44 (0.57%), and 4 (0.06%), respectively. Conclusion: The present study has shown a considerable volume of obstetric ultrasound scan in this cottage hospital, albeit, with low utilization compared to the number of antenatal registration. Findings were mainly normal with minimal need for referral for advance care.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.