Background/Introduction
At the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) 2015,
the European Society of Radiology (ESR) introduced the clinical decision support (CDS) system ESR iGuide,
developed in cooperation with the software firm National Decision Support Company (NDSC).
ESR iGuide uses imaging referral guidelines based developed by the ESR based on the American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria (ACR AC).
Having advocated CDS as a tool to increase the use of imaging referral guidelines and make imaging utilisation in Europe more appropriate,
the development of ESR iGuide represents...
Description of activity and work performed
Following an agreement with the ACR in 2014 that enabled the ESR to use their well-established Appropriateness Criteria,
developed over the past 25 years by 12 expert panels,
an ESR-appointed team of specialists from various areas of clinical radiology conducted a scientific review of the ACR’s criteria in order to adapt them for use in the European setting.
Led by a dedicated methodologist,
the ESR’s European Imaging Referral Guidelines constitute a common set of standard guidelines for use in Europe in a format that enables...
Conclusion and Recommendations
The introduction of clinical decision support for medical imaging in Europe is a significant development in the practice of radiology and in the cooperation between referring physicians and radiologists.
It is part of wider trends towards embedding evidence-based medicine in order to improve patient safety,
quality of care and health outcomes.
Through its Working Group on Imaging Referral Guidelines,
the ESR is working to ensure that up-to-date criteria for appropriate referrals are available to physicians in Europe.
Future priorities for this initiative include strengthening the...
Personal/Organisational information
Prof.
Luis Donoso (Barcelona/ES)
ESR Past-President
References
myesr.org/quality-safety/esr-iguide
www.esriguide.org
