Inpatient admissions for interventional radiology: philosophy of patient management.

Abstract

As an alternative to performing interventional radiology on inpatients under the care of internists and surgeons, the authors have established a cardiovascular radiology admitting service for well-screened, elective patients. The patients are admitted under the care of a cardiovascular radiology fellow and a staff physician. From April 1982 to December 1983, 133 patients were admitted to the service. Patients are cared for in a surgical ward or in an intermediate unit, as determined by the clinical situation. Advantages of this approach include a broader patient referral base, improved rapport with clinical colleagues and patients, improved follow-up data, and rapid evaluation and treatment, resulting in short hospital stays. The major disadvantages involve the commitment of time and staff necessary to provide quality care. The concept of the interventional radiologist in the role of admitting physician has important implications in terms of negotiations for additional financial compensation, commensurate with the skill and time required for performing these procedures and caring for the patient.

Interventional Radiology in China

“…[24] Therefore, determining the relationship between IR and related disciplines could contribute to the liberation of the pent-up motivation of interventionists and benefit the development of the discipline. [2526] Interventionists should be deeply involved in the entire process of inpatient and outpatient care and exert their influence on management and policies. [11] Compared with other patterns, the disciplinary mode can provide a unique and appealing identity to interventionists and more comprehensive service to patients.…”

Hospital Organization and Importance of an Interventional Radiology Inpatient Admitting Service: Italian Single-Center 3-Year Experience

“…Normally, to obtain a consultation by an interventional radiologist, a general practitioner must first refer his or her patient to a clinician, thus losing direct control of the patient [3]. Moreover, this type of organization is extremely time-consuming considering that the patient must first obtain an appointment with the clinician, who will then request a consultation with the interventional radiologist.…”

“…Several authors [1][2][3][4][5][6] have emphasized that in order to maintain interventional procedures in the hands of interventional radiologists, clinical competence must be gained and the ''interventional patient'' must be managed entirely by interventional radiologists from the time of diagnosis, through hospital admission and treatment, to postprocedural follow-up.…”

Interventional radiology: A survey of trainees

“…Many American interventional radiologists appear to be taking on more clinical responsibility 3,9 . However, this concept is not new, since 1968 when Dotter himself warned that radiologists risked losing territorial rights if they did not secure clinical responsibility of the patient, others have been showing how interventional radiology inpatient and outpatient services might be run 2,13 …”

“…3,9 However, this concept is not new, since 1968 when Dotter himself warned that radiologists risked losing territorial rights if they did not secure clinical responsibility of the patient, others have been showing how interventional radiology inpatient and outpatient services might be run. 2,13 Research, audit and credentialing were suggested by a few respondents as a means of underpinning IR as a specialty. There is concern that we are lagging behind in research productivity compared with our competing endovascular specialties.…”