EHR intervention reduces unnecessary lumbar X-rays for low back pain
USA: A recent study has revealed that in patients presenting with low back pain, a relatively simple electronic health record (EHR) intervention was shown to reduce the incidence of unnecessary X-rays by 53% among inpatients.
"Our intervention successfully reduced across all clinical settings, with a reduction in lumbar computed tomography (CTs) in the ambulatory and inpatient settings," Surafel Tsega, Office of Quality and Patient Safety, NYC Health + Hospitals, New York, NY, and colleagues wrote in their study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology. No changes were observed for lumbar MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) orders.
Low back pain is a common presentation that often leads to expensive and unnecessary imaging resulting in undue patient harm, including radiation exposure, and potentially unnecessary surgical procedures with associated emotional distress and morbidity.
Tsega and the team present an initiative in a safety net system to reduce imaging for low back pain based on a quality improvement study conducted across quality improvement study and 70 ambulatory clinics.
Disclaimer: This website is primarily for healthcare professionals. The content here does not replace medical advice and should not be used as medical, diagnostic, endorsement, treatment, or prescription advice. Medical science evolves rapidly, and we strive to keep our information current. If you find any discrepancies, please contact us at corrections@medicaldialogues.in. Read our Correction Policy here. Nothing here should be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We do not endorse any healthcare advice that contradicts a physician's guidance. Use of this site is subject to our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Advertisement Policy. For more details, read our Full Disclaimer here.
NOTE: Join us in combating medical misinformation. If you encounter a questionable health, medical, or medical education claim, email us at factcheck@medicaldialogues.in for evaluation.