Background/introduction
ESR iGuide is a clinical decision support (CDS) system that uses imaging referral guidelines developed by the European Society of Radiology (ESR) and based on the American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria (ACR AC).
ESR iGuide is the solution to make imaging referral guidelines available and easily usable in Europe,
making actionable guidance available to referring physicians at the point of care.
The ESR advocates the use of CDS integrated into existing imaging referral workflows to support healthcare providers with evidence-based guidelines,
aimed at utilising...
Description of activity and work performed
ESR iGuide pilot tests started in Europe in 2016,
and ESR iGuide was implemented in hospitals across Europe and the Middle East throughout 2017 and 2018,
with ten sites live at the end of 2018.
The first phases of pilot projects in Croatia and Sweden were concluded in 2017,
with a second phase being initiated in 2018 in both countries.
The implementation of ESR iGuide in one healthcare organisation is typically a project with a duration between three to five months,
containing the following phases:...
Conclusion and recommendations
The introduction of clinical decision support for medical imaging in Europe is a significant step towards improving the utilisation of radiology and 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.
The first pilot projects have shown that there is significant room for improving appropriateness in medical imaging,
and that CDS using the ESR's guidelines can significantly enhance the appropriateness of referrals.
Through ESR Referral...
Personal/organisational information
European Society of Radiology (ESR)