The Interventional Radiology Clinic: Key Ingredients for Success

Procedural Impact of a Dedicated Interventional Oncology Service Line in a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center

“…Outpatient clinics have been part of IR practice for over a decade [16]. Lutjeboer et al evaluated the effects of clinic on a wide range of IR procedures and reported reductions in rescheduled procedures, as well as increased safety and patient satisfaction [14].…”

The Interventional Radiology Clinic: What You Need to Know

“…7,13 When working with NPs and PAs, it is important for the supervising physicians within a practice to fully stand behind and support the services they provide. 8 Remember, patients are forming relationships with you and your entire practice. In fact, as evidenced by our own practice, the NP or PA may potentially become the most important contact person for that patient, and this has been associated with a high degree of patient satisfaction.…”

“…Involvement in an outpatient interventional practice also implies that time will be set aside on a daily basis for either the physician or another provider within that practice to return patient phone-calls in an effort to make sure that all questions are answered, further adding to the perceived credibility of the receptionist and other office staff who are the first line of communication between a patient and the office. 8 APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING An efficient outpatient clinic requires appointment scheduling that works from both the patient and physician perspectives. The goal of any practice is to see as many patients as possible within a specific amount of time.…”

“…More importantly, however, the white paper also makes it clear that understanding the needs of individual patients and acknowledging the importance of providing longitudinal care to patients undergoing interventional procedures are necessary to optimize patients' experiences with interventional radiologists and interventional radiological procedures. 8 To effectively participate in clinical patient management, interventionalists require an infrastructure within their practice to support these services, and this infrastructure must encompass the resources required to manage patients in both the inpatient and outpatient setting. 8 Certainly, an outpatient office will represent the cornerstone of this effort, as it does for medical practices in virtually every medical specialty.…”

“…8 To effectively participate in clinical patient management, interventionalists require an infrastructure within their practice to support these services, and this infrastructure must encompass the resources required to manage patients in both the inpatient and outpatient setting. 8 Certainly, an outpatient office will represent the cornerstone of this effort, as it does for medical practices in virtually every medical specialty. Physical space that is designated for one-to-one interaction between physician and patient has always been and remains a priority for these practices but has not, until recently, been felt to represent a necessary component of a successful interventional radiology practice.…”