METHOD, SYSTEM, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR DETERMINING A PATIENT RADIATION AND DIAGNOSTIC STUDY SCORE

摘要

A method for determining a patient radiation and diagnostic study score associated with past diagnostic radiologic tests. In light of the obvious benefits of diagnostic radiology, the risks inherent in its use are often overlooked. Ionizing radiation, which is a component of much, but not all, diagnostic radiology, carries with it a small risk of inducing cancer every time it is used. This additional risk, known as “Lifetime Attributable Risk,” is layered on top of an individual's lifetime base risk of invasive cancer. The present method for determining a patient radiation and diagnostic study score provides right time, right place, and right format radiology information to assist providers in their medical decision-making. With greater awareness of recent study history, and individually contextualized risk and benefit considerations, providers are more likely to decrease their overall usage of diagnostic radiology and better counsel their patients on future risk.

主权项

1. A method for determining a patient radiation and diagnostic study score (10) associated with the patient's past diagnostic radiologic tests, comprising the steps of:
a) accessing, by at least one score processor, a database (100) and retrieving data indicative of a patient's past radiologic tests (200) during a scoring period; b) associating, by the at least one score processor, a measure of ionizing radiation with each of the patient's past radiologic tests (200) from the scoring period; c) forming, by the at least one score processor, a lifetime attributable risk (400) for each of the patient's past radiologic tests (200) from the scoring period, and creating a total lifetime attributable risk (400) for the scoring period; d) transforming, by the at least one score processor, the total lifetime attributable risk (400) for the scoring period into a scaled lifetime attributable risk (410) for the scoring period by comparing the total lifetime attributable risk (400) for the scoring period with general population radiologic test data, wherein the scaled lifetime attributable risk (410) indicates a measure of the total lifetime attributable risk (400) relative to the general population; and e) creating, by the at least one score processor, the patient radiation and diagnostic study score (10) from the scaled lifetime attributable risk (410) to display on a visual media.