Hundreds of extra exams added to radiology review
Health authority initially flagged more than 2,300 cases after former radiologist's practices questioned
Kirsten Fenn
Northern News Services
Friday, July 7, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The NWT Health and Social Services Authority is reviewing an additional 406 radiology exams that may have been read inaccurately several years ago.
Sue Cullen, chief executive officer of NWT Health and Social Services Authority, left, and Les Harrison, chief operating officer at Stanton Territorial Hospital, briefed the media in March about a review of more than 2,300 diagnostic imaging exams. - NNSL file photo |
In March, the health authority announced it was working with a contractor to review a total of 2,355 CT scans, x-rays and mammograms. The newly identified scans are on top of that.
The move came after staff at the health authority read B.C. media reports calling into question the practices of a radiologist who formerly worked at Stanton, Sue Cullen, chief executive officer of the health authority, said at the time.
The radiologist, who the authority would not name, worked temporarily at Stanton Territorial Hospital between Dec. 19, 2015 and Jan. 23, 2016, as well as from May 8 to 14 of the same year.
Another review of employment at the hospital revealed the radiologist was also employed there from Sept. 1 to 18 in 2009, according to a recent news release from the health authority.
"There's still a group that we need to look at from a previous year," said Les Harrison, chief operating officer at Stanton Territorial Hospital.
So far, 2,100 exams have been reviewed, Harrison said.
The review is being undertaken by radiologists hired from a contracted firm in Alberta.
According to the health authority, 2,008 of those already reviewed had no clinical errors.
Ninety-two exams required further investigation. In 64 of those cases, it was determined patients had already received the appropriate treatment.
Another 28 exams required additional follow up, the news release stated.
"There was no impact from the discrepancy to their care," Harrison said, adding the majority of patients affected by discrepancies were already receiving follow-up care.
Letters have been mailed to patients whose exams were reviewed and anyone else affected can expect to be contacted, according to the health authority.
"Radiology is not the only information that practitioners use to determine the course of treatment for a patient," Harrison said, explaining that a discrepancy between the original exam and the review is not necessarily a cause for concern.
"They'll get lab results, they'll be talking to the patient, they'll be talking to a specialist."
The radiologist in question does not work in the NWT anymore.
Harrison said he hopes the rest of the exams will be reviewed by the end of the summer.
"We're committed to transparency, to ensuring that all of these patients ... are having their care needs met," he said.
"At this point, we want to ensure that we're being transparent with those patients and also with the public, which is why we've got the review and we want to ensure best practices in radiology services in the territory."
The health authority is encouraging anyone with concerns to contact their health-care provider.
