By Lynn Antonopoulos
According to a Tuesday poster presentation by Ali Rashidi, MD, a radiology resident at Emory University in Atlanta, by recognizing factors that contribute to imaging follow through, and understanding factors influencing patient decision making, radiologists can make adjustments that may lead to better follow-up compliance and ultimately, better patient care.
“In the United States, health care pricing is not often disclosed to patients until they receive a medical bill,” Dr. Rashidi said. “This lack of transparency makes it difficult for patients to make informed decisions about their care and find a more affordable option.”
Dr. Rashidi and colleagues at University of California, Irvine, where he previously worked as a researcher, analyzed records of patients aged 18 years and older who scheduled outpatient imaging appointments at their institution from August 2022 to August 2023.
The team collected data regarding the generation of out-of-pocket price (OOPP) estimates, noting related demographic information and whether the patients viewed the estimates and completed appointments.
According to Dr. Rashidi, out of 470,422 imaging appointments, OOPP estimates were generated for a total of 70,437, nearly 15%. “These estimates were almost solely generated by staff,” Dr. Rashidi said.
Of those estimates generated by staff and given to patients, only 149 (0.2%) were viewed by the patients prior to imaging. The overwhelming majority of estimates were never viewed.
The researchers saw a pattern emerge. “There was a significantly higher number of uninsured patients among those who viewed OOPP estimates prior to imaging, compared to those who viewed the OOPP after imaging and those who never viewed the pricing” Dr. Rashidi said.
Whether they viewed them or not, odds were higher that patients who had price estimates generated for them would complete their appointments. However, patients who simply viewed pricing on the patient portal before the imaging exam were less likely to go through with it.
Dr. Rashidi acknowledged that cost awareness might motivate patients to switch to other centers with lower prices.
“Viewing of the OOPP estimate prior to imaging is associated with decreased imaging completion in the same imaging center, however completion of exams at other imaging centers with lower OOPP estimates is not clear,” he said. “Increased imaging completion among those with an OOPP generation might be due to patients not knowing the price versus the price being communicated by staff.”
When staff shared prices directly with patients, it may have encouraged more appointments to be completed. The study findings provide some insight for radiologists and staff looking to engage with patients and improve imaging completion rates.
“A better understanding of the relationship between price estimation and appointment completion helps radiologists identify the importance of price transparency in the completion rate of imaging appointments,” Dr. Rashidi said. “It helps them understand the underlying causes of appointment cancellations and plan to address the modifiable factors in this group of patients.”
Access the presentation, “Association Between Price Transparency and Patient Decision to Complete Outpatient Imaging,” (T5A-SPNPM-2) on demand at RSNA.org/MeetingCentral.
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The RSNA 2024 Daily Bulletin is the official publication of the 110th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. Published online Sunday, December 1 — Friday, December 6.
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