Topics at this year’s Fast 5 sessions, moderated by Sherry S. Wang, MBBS, ranged from palliative care to AI, but all echoed the annual meeting’s theme of empowering patients and partners in care.
Palliative Care in Radiology: More Than Meets the Eye
Galgano
While not traditionally thought of as palliative care providers, radiologists are central to the process, according to Samuel Galgano, MD, section chief at the University of Alabama in Birmingham.
He pointed out that patients in palliative care often require repeated visits for imaging and/or procedures, giving radiologists ample opportunity to get to know them.
“There are three important concepts to keep in mind,” Dr. Galgano said. “One, be present in the moment; two, be human with the patient; and three, be willing to be emotionally vulnerable. By doing these things you’re really able to develop a personal relationship with these patients, which will reap great rewards.”
As proof of this, Dr. Galgano shared an appreciative letter he received from a dying woman who had been his patient—a powerful statement on the importance of radiologists in palliative care.
Improve Patient Access to Radiologists - Empowering Patients and Increasing Patient-Radiologist Communication
Vettiyil
With the football season entering its stretch run, Beth Vettiyil, MD, assistant professor at West Virginia University, began her talk with an anecdote from an NFL game.
She described how a player who had taken a hit to the abdomen was preparing to reenter the game. The team radiologist, a mentor of Dr. Vettiyil’s, stopped the player to perform an ultrasound and discovered that he had suffered a splenic laceration that was bleeding into his abdomen, likely saving his life.
The story illustrates just one way that patients benefit from increased access to radiologists. Patients can gain access to radiologists virtually through portals where they can view their images, ask questions and discuss imaging with the interpreting radiologist.
“It would be a good public relations move for us to literally step from darkness into light,” Dr. Vettiyil said. “We can bust the myth of radiologists hiding in hospital basements behind computer screens and show that we are irreplaceable.”
Compensate Radiologists for Tumor Board Preparation Time
Herwald
Tumor board conferences are a critical component of multidisciplinary patient care, but radiologists receive no compensation for the time they spend on them. That needs to change, according to Sanna Herwald, MD, PhD, radiology resident at Stanford Healthcare.
She outlined several reasons to establish compensation for radiologist participation in tumor boards. The work requires significant effort and expertise, she said, and contributes much to patient care. Additionally, the imaging interpretation represents an independent contribution and not just a summary of the original read.
“Participating in tumor boards is the right thing to do, regardless of compensation. But compensation will support radiologists doing the right thing so that tumor board participation becomes more widespread and sustainable,” Dr. Herwald said.
Achieving Health Equity and Healthcare Systems Transformation through Meaningful Community Engagement and Upstream Partnerships
Abraham
Radiologists should dedicate greater resources and time to engagement with the community they serve in order to address disparities in health care, said Peter Abraham, MD, resident physician in the Department of Radiology at the University of California in San Diego.
He cited several examples, such as providing transportation for patients and opening on more nights and weekends for people who cannot take time off from work.
“We must as radiologists leave the reading room to undergo a root cause analysis for these disparities,” said Dr. Abraham. “Instead of solely thinking of radiology as a diagnostic process, we can increase our attention and resources toward thinking about the patient’s journey, which improves patient engagement.”
Bringing Patients to the AI Table
Tejani
AI has been a hot topic in radiology for years now, but often left out of the discussion is an important stakeholder: the patient. Radiologists should take the lead in changing that tendency by assuming the role of a trusted ambassador engaging patients for ethical and effective use of AI tools, according to Ali S. Tejani, MD, from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
Patients often get information on AI in medicine from the media, he noted, which can lead to misapprehensions and distrust.
“We as radiologists are poised to take control of this conversation and to serve as stewards of this technology,” Dr. Tejani said. “We have a responsibility, a mandate, to serve as trusted resources for the use of this technology.”
Watch Fast 5 (T3-RCP01) on demand at Meeting.RSNA.org.