False-positive preliminary radiograph interpretations in a pediatric emergency department: clinical and economic impact. Am J Emerg Med 1997 Jul;15(4):354-6
Date
07/01/1997Pubmed ID
9217523DOI
10.1016/s0735-6757(97)90123-6Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0030834246 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 13 CitationsAbstract
A prospective, case control study at a university-affiliated, academic pediatric emergency department was undertaken to determine the clinical impact and cost of false-positive preliminary radiograph interpretations and to compare the cost of false-positive interpretations with the estimated cost of a 24-hour on-site pediatric radiologist. Data were collected on all patients undergoing radiography of the chest, abdomen, lateral (soft tissue) neck, cervical spine, or extremities during a 5-month period. A total of 1,471 radiograph examinations was performed, and 200 (14%) misinterpretations (false-positive and false-negative) by the pediatric emergency medicine physicians were identified. As reported previously, 20 (10%) of the false-negative interpretations were noted to be clinically significant, in the current analysis, 103 (7%) false-positive radiograph interpretations were identified. False-positive interpretations were noted more frequently (14%) for soft tissue lateral neck radiographs than for any other radiograph type. Of the 103 total false-positive radiographs, nine (0.6%) resulted in an increased patient cost totaling $764.75. These data show that false-positive radiograph interpretations have limited economic and clinical impact.
Author List
Walsh-Kelly CM, Hennes HM, Melzer-Lange MDAuthor
Marlene D. Melzer-Lange MD Adjunct Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Case-Control StudiesChild
Diagnostic Errors
Emergency Service, Hospital
False Negative Reactions
False Positive Reactions
Hospital Costs
Hospitals, Pediatric
Humans
Prospective Studies
Radiography
Wisconsin