# Patients’ and Providers’ Preferences and Perceptions for Imaging Information for Patients: Cross-Sectional Survey Study

## TL;DR

This study explores how patients and healthcare providers prefer to receive and communicate imaging results, highlighting differences in preferences and suggesting shared decision-making could improve the process.

## Contribution

The study identifies preferences and perceptions of patients and providers regarding imaging report communication, advocating for a differentiated reporting approach.

## Key findings

- Most providers prefer delaying the release of imaging reports until after they review them.
- Patients generally prefer to receive imaging results online immediately when available.
- Provider preferences for communication methods and timing show significant heterogeneity.

## Abstract

Communication of imaging results is increasingly directed to patients, but controversies remain regarding report communication from the perspectives of patients, ordering providers, and radiologists.

The objective of this study was to compare and contrast patients and providers with respect to their preferred source of imaging report information, preferred method of imaging report communication, and perceptions of patients’ understanding of imaging reports.

We gathered preferences from patients and providers through surveys. In total, 91 patients as well as 77 physicians, 10 physician assistants, 6 nurse practitioners, and 1 other health provider completed the surveys. Chi-square and 2-tailed t tests were used to compare differences in means between the groups. Logistic regression was used to analyze the probability of an ordering provider preferring online release of imaging results as the first method of communication as a function of provider characteristics.

Of the 94 providers who participated in the study, 53 (56%) were women and 80 (85%) were White. On average, they had 15.6 (SD 10) years of experience. Most providers preferred delaying the release of imaging reports to patients until after they had reviewed the report themselves. There was substantial provider preference heterogeneity regarding imaging report communication to patients and the timing of release. The majority of the patients (70/91, 77%) who completed the survey were women, and 19% (17/91) identified as members of racial and ethnic minoritized groups. Patients generally preferred to receive their imaging results online as soon as they were available.

The findings of this study suggest that shared decision-making between patients and providers before the release of imaging results could help establish how, when, and by whom results should be delivered to patients. The study findings can be leveraged to explore options for a differentiated reporting approach that is more responsive to patient and provider needs.