Assessing the Appropriate Utilization of CT Scan in Triage Units

Regarding to the importance of controlling health care expenditure, necessity for proper distribution of health care resources and appropriate utilization of hospital resources through inappropriate services reduction for patients, this study aimed to assess suitability of brain CT scans, based on American College of Radiologists (ACR) appropriateness criteria in Shahid Beheshti Hospital affiliated to Kashan University of Medical Sciences (KAUMS).
This cross sectional and retrospective study was conducted in internal and surgery triage unites of an academic hospital in KAUMS to determine the appropriateness of brain CT scans. A General physician reviewed 361 medical records of patients through the check list based on ACR appropriateness criteria. Collected data was classified in three areas including appropriate, possibly appropriate and inappropriate. Data was analyzed using SPSS through descriptive statistics such as Index of dispersion and chi-square test.
Study findings revealed that among delivered CT scans, 310 (85.9%) appropriate, 38(10.5%) possibly appropriate and 13(3.6%) were inappropriate. The maximum and the minimum inappropriate brain CT scans rate 4 (4.17 %) were related to patients with Ataxia and zero (0 %) were related to patients with Headache, respectively.
Based on ACR appropriateness criteria, Brain CT scans were not utilized appropriately. In order to depict utilization review of radiology procedure in Iran, Developing a national guideline is necessary. To detect the effective factors regarding formulating targeted intervention, more comprehensive studies in various hospitals, different specialty and radiology modality seems necessary.