World Radiology Day: Radiology services overburdened due to unnecessary referrals

"Unqualified radiologists claiming to be specialists “wreak havoc” on people’s lives", says Dr Saba Sohail.

ISLAMABAD:

Many patients are referred to radiology laboratories for tests that they do not need, said radiologists working in Islamabad.

Radiologists said lack of awareness overburdens hospitals’ radiology departments and dents patients’ pockets unnecessarily.

Dr Faiz, a senior radiologist at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), said about 25 to 30 CT scans, 25 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), more then 100 ultrasounds and 400 x-rays are conducted at the PIMS radiology department every day.

However, he added, many patients do not need the tests. “These tests are time consuming and expensive,” he added.

Dr Fiaz also highlighted the shortage of trained technicians to operate the equipment. Currently there are around 2,000 qualified registered radiologists in Pakistan, according to official figures. Many other radiologists working in the country are not registered and many of them may be unqualified.

Even the departments at public hospitals are not without problems.

Dr Faiz said, “Radiology departments do not provide services in line with international standards, nor is the staff provided protective gear.”

He added, “Many technicians suffer because of the dangerous rays. A technician serving in the radiology department of a public hospital in Islamabad had seven miscarriages due to the [hazardous] rays.”

Dr Saba Sohail, radiology professor at Dow Medical College and Civil Hospital Karachi and consultant radiologist at the Aga Khan University Hospital, said the majority of health experts rely on the results of radiology exams for treating patients and believe that treatment is impossible without them, which is incorrect.

She also said that radiology departments are overburdened in public hospitals because of unnecessary referrals. “Instead of waiting in long queues, patients get the tests done from private centres that are expensive or from unauthorised radiology centres.”

Unqualified radiologists claiming to be specialists “wreak havoc” on people’s lives at unregistered centres, she said. She added that some doctors in public hospitals refer patients to specific private laboratories that pay them commissions.

Health Awareness Society Director Dr Samia Babar stressed upon the need to create awareness about the use of radiology and its hazards.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 9^th, 2012.