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Introduction
Volume 12 No 3
I
June 2016
5
Research Illuminates
Perception of Radiologists
Dr Greg Slater
How radiologists are valued in the
medical community, and by the public
at large, is an issue never long from the
thoughts of anyone working in clinical
radiology, and it is a common cause
of general dissatisfaction. Most of us
agree that our clinical role today is
undervalued by referring doctors and
patients.
To better understand the issues, and
to explore paths for lifting the profile
of our specialties, last year the College
commissioned research involving
interviews with key stakeholders
and online surveys of hundreds of
radiologists, referrers and patients in
Australia and New Zealand. The research
has tapped some valuable insights
into perceptions of our profession
and I am pleased to share some early
findings here.
Among the most pleasing outcomes
was that over 90 per cent of referrers
(chiefly GPs and surgeons) perceived
radiologists positively as fellow
clinicians, rating them as ‘excellent’ or
‘adequate,’ and acknowledging their
respect for the specialists’ advice and
contribution to patient care. In fact, the
referrers’ stated respect for radiologists
was significantly more widespread than
what the radiologists themselves felt
they received from the referrers—just
over half of the radiologists surveyed felt
respected as fellow clinicians.
Surveys have their shortcomings, of
course, and it is easy to imagine that
a respondent might say one thing
and do another, but the disparate
finding on respect implies that lack of
effective two-way communication may
be playing a role in this. And so the
disparities continued. About 30 per
cent of radiologists felt perceptions of
clinical radiologists among referrers
had improved in the last five years, but
only 10 per cent of referrers agreed,
while another nine per cent felt their
perceptions had declined. Over half
of the patients surveyed felt their
understanding and awareness of the
clinical radiologist was adequate or
better, a view strongly disputed by
the radiologists, of whom fewer than
seven per cent agreed. Indeed, in our
stakeholder interviews it was claimed
by both referrers and patients that it
was not important for the patient to
understand the role of the radiologist in
reaching a diagnosis.
Perhaps most telling among the
findings were the factors thought to
affect the referrer’s view of the clinical
radiologist. The factor that recorded the
most positive influence was interaction
between the specialist and the referrer
(80 per cent of referrers listed this as
a positive). Of the five most positive
factors influencing perceptions, four of
them relate to communication—with
referring clinicians, with patients or
in multidisciplinary meetings. One
respondent, a doctor working in hospital
emergency, offered the comment that
radiologists ‘don’t go to the tea room’
enough to share their views.
Among the negative factors affecting
perceptions of radiologists among
referrers, by far the most common was
the ‘corporatisation of practices,’ with
almost half of the referrers listing it as
a factor. But this is a topic best left for
another day.
A lesson we can draw from the College’s
research is just how much of our
perception in the medical community
and among patients depends on our
opportunities and perhaps even our
willingness to communicate. We may
be frustrated by the attitude of some
referring doctors and by the lack of
awareness among patients—clearly
many of us are. But if we really want
to do more than complain and try to
improve our working lives, the research
suggests that spending designated time
building relationships with referrers and
talking more to our patients is as good a
place to start as any.
A Message from
the President
“Of the five most
positive factors
influencing perceptions,
four of them relate to
communication—with
referring clinicians,
with patients or in
multidisciplinary
meetings.”