Standardizing Workflow, Patient Care, and Reimbursement for Radiology Second Opinions

Second opinions in radiology are crucial for accurate diagnosis and patient management but often lack standardization, leading to inefficiencies and suboptimal reimbursement. We redesigned the second opinion workflow leveraging existing tools in the EMR. Summary statistics as well as post-implementation surveys were conducted among ordering providers and radiologists to gauge the process. Reimbursement data from August 2021 to October 2022 was also analyzed. The Abdomen division accounted for 47% of second opinion exams, followed by Neuroradiology at 26%, Chest at 17%, Nuclear Medicine at 9%, and MSK at 1%. CT scans comprised 64%, MR 26%, NM 9%, and US 1%. Survey participants reported an improvement in user-friendliness ratings for the second opinion process from 2 to 4.4 (p < 0.07), with substantial positive trends among ordering providers (Cohen's d = 2.00). Satisfaction with perceived timeliness of report availability was high across both groups, and radiologists perceived workflow efficiency improved from 2.7 to 4 (p = 0.036). The new workflow achieved a 91.9% collection success rate. Standardizing the second opinion workflow enhances operational efficiency, user satisfaction and reimbursement, thereby improving patient care.