Educating emergency medicine physicians about radiation exposure and the best uses of high-tech imaging allows them to order the right tests at the right times. Informed treatment planning reduces unnecessary radiation exposure and results in sustained savings for health care payers.

 

Reducing costs by enhancing physician knowledge

 

With its Emergency Medicine Program, HealthHelp takes an educational approach. The program targets emergency departments in particular, where utilization remains high because of defensive medicine practices and a lack of standardized high-tech imaging protocols.

 

Emergency medicine physicians will learn more about radiation exposure and the potential harm associated with high-tech imaging, as well as about best uses for the technology and the importance of timing in relation to patient management. The program will focus on five indications commonly handled in the emergency room: headache, abdominal/flank pain, cardiac symptoms, shortness of breath, and low-impact head injuries for adults and children. HealthHelp chose these areas because they represent the largest opportunity for bringing about change in ordering patterns.

 

Providing evidence-based resources

 

Physicians, who will earn continuing medical education (CME) credits for their participation in the program, will receive specific clinical education through:

 

• Excell—ACCME-accredited diagnostic imaging education program for nonradiology specialists
• Protocols—Detailed recommendations for how to treat the five targeted indications prior to high-tech imaging
• Clinical Guidelines Sheets—Evidence-based literature for each of the five areas
• Medical Imaging Consultant—HealthHelp’s online and in-print tool promoting appropriate imaging by indication

 

Tracking program success

 

Both the physicians and the health care payer will receive benchmark reporting to measure the success of participants. The program also will monitor participants quarterly to ensure continued compliance and to identify additional areas of opportunity.