To help relieve anxiety and improve their imaging experience, patients want more information about their upcoming CT or MRI scan and increased face-to-face interaction with their physicians, according to a survey of 1,085 patients in seven countries.
The online poll was conducted this year by Healthcare Research Worldwide on behalf of Bayer, and included responses from the U.S., Brazil, France, Italy, Germany, Japan, and South Korea. All respondents had undergone CT or MR imaging within the previous 12 months with or without contrast media.
Among the key findings, 44% of patients wanted more information and personal interaction with their physician before their time in the scanner. When patients felt better prepared and more relaxed during their procedure, the improved imaging experience produced better image results and subsequent diagnoses. Without this additional information, 55% of the surveyed patients felt more anxiety during their scan.
In addition, more than 80% of patients said the quality of their consultation with a referring physician, radiologist, radiographer, and/or radiologic technologist was the most important factor in improving their imaging experience, which further highlighted the importance of face-to-face conversations.
"These results provide valuable insights into how we can potentially improve patient outcomes, both medically and emotionally," said Dr. Raymond Y. Kwong, director of cardiac MRI and an associate professor at the Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., in a statement. "The findings of the survey add to the growing body of information helping us optimally equip patients ahead of their procedure, reassuring them, and helping them to comply with the instructions they receive during their scan, ultimately leading to a better image."
