A patient medical imaging referral support system based on medical-managerial and patient-safety criteria

Abstract

The German Commission on Radiological Protection has worked out guidance on radiological and nuclear medical examinations in Germany, on behalf of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety in 2006. The Recommendations are continuously being adjusted to the actual state of medical science and technology, taking into account the constructive proposals for amendments and improvements, contributed by physicians, scientific organizations and working groups. We have obtained the permission and translated into Greek the updated version of this guidance and we have combined it with the Greek translation of the WHO ICD-10 and the Greek DRGs-alike “KEN” Codification. The resulting in system constitutes a convenient Medical Imaging referral-tool for every Clinician, nevertheless, particularly helpful for the primary- care Practitioners. The developed tool supports, first, referral decision-making support based on collectively and thoroughly peer-reviewed Recommendations, second, appropriate selection of the imaging-technique ranking and sequencing, with regard to diagnostic efficiency, combined with patient-safety and finally, acquaintance of the medical personnel with the inevitable, in contemporary medical practice, employment of established codifications and classifications of diagnostic procedures and the associated costs for the Greek National Health System