October 18, 2023
(RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, October 18, 2023) – As part of its continued efforts to improve the patient experience, US Radiology Specialists, one of the country’s premier physician-owned radiology practices, has expanded the implementation of AI-driven technology specifically created for patients that distills complex radiology terminology into more easily understandable imaging reports. The company’s deployment of the SCANSLATED platform, which in May 2021 was the first of its kind in the U.S., is now in place at more than 110 of its imaging centers nationwide and has resulted in over 600,000 report views – with plans for continued future expansion.
The SCANSLATED platform provides patients with plain-language explanations of their complete radiology reports featuring interactive terminology definitions and diagrams throughout the report to help patients improve their understanding of medical results and enhance provider interactions. Patients access their easy-to-understand reports through a unique link sent via text message or email that is easily accessible from any smartphone, computer, or tablet.
Since implementing the technology across the majority of its outpatient imaging centers, US Radiology has received feedback from over 150,000 patients who accessed more than 4 million patient-friendly radiology definitions. Ninety-five percent of those surveyed reported that the new reports’ format, definitions, and diagrams helped them more easily understand their imaging results, and 98 percent reported an overall positive experience with the reports. In addition, 88 percent felt that reading the patient-friendly reports resulted in a more productive conversation with their physician.
The development and deployment of the SCANSLATED-driven reporting technology across US Radiology’s network was led by Dr. Jennifer Kemp, Quality Chair at Diversified Radiology, and Dr. Nicholas Befera of Duke University Health, both of whom are shareholders in SCANSLATED. Drs. Kemp and Befera, along with Dr. Robert Lopez, Quality Chair at Charlotte Radiology, and several other academic co-authors, recently published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology on a study of opportunities to improve outcomes in radiology through more patient-friendly imaging reporting.
“Direct patient engagement opportunities can traditionally be limited in radiology,” said Dr. Kemp, “However, our research indicates that patient-friendly radiology reports may represent a promising strategy for improving patient-centered outcomes. At US Radiology, we're always looking for ways to put the patient at the center of everything we do.”
Specific results from the research conducted by Dr. Kemp, Dr. Lopez, and their colleagues included more than 1,000 patients and revealed that:
- More than 80 percent reported that the patient-friendly reports helped them feel better prepared and have more productive conversations with their doctors
- Seventy-seven percent better understood the treatment recommendations
- Seventy percent indicated reduced anxiety around their imaging results
“As a national leader in radiology, we are committed to working closely with our clinical leadership to identify AI-powered solutions that enable innovation and quality for our radiologists and ensure our patients have the best possible healthcare experience,” said US Radiology’s Chief Information Officer Gerry Lewis. “SCANSLATED is a powerful example of what can happen when cutting-edge, AI-driven technology is applied to a critical clinical patient need.”
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About US Radiology Specialists
US Radiology is one of the country's premier physician-owned radiology groups. With nearly 5,000 team members and more than 180 outpatient imaging centers across 14 states, our team conducts nearly 8 million studies annually. Our partnership of leading subspecialized radiology groups, high-quality imaging centers, and health systems is built around a commitment to best-in-class clinical excellence, operations, infrastructure, and state-of-the-art technology.
Media Contact
Chris Core
corpcomms@usradiology.com