This is a new column that pinpoints issues that may restrict the degree to which referring physicians, patients and others are aware of IR, as well as what actions interventional radiologists can do to help address them.
The challenge
On facility/hospital websites, interventional radiology may not be listed as a separate specialty or may be given a misleading name (e.g., “imaging specialist”). Other competing specialties, such as interventional cardiology, may be listed more clearly—drawing potential patients that should be seeking IR services.
Response
- Visit your facility’s website.
- From the homepage, find out how many clicks it takes to find the services you offer as an interventional radiologist.
- Reach out to your facility’s marketing or website management team and ask them to:
- Have interventional radiology listed with other primary specialties, minimizing the number clicks it takes to find IR.
- List the services you offer under IR (e.g., IR/IO, DEB TACE, Y-90, UFE, PAE, etc.) as treatment options and compare them to other services (e.g, “a minimally invasive alternative to open surgery) for the patient to consider.
- Ensure that interventional radiology is tagged appropriately in your site’s search engine for all of the services provided.
- Check the directory in your facility’s lobby and other facility materials. If interventional radiology isn’t included in lists of primary specialties, reach out to your facility’s administrators to get IR on the list of specialties and services offered.
Have you taken other steps to ensure that interventional radiology is on your facility’s list? Let us know on SIR Connector email Debbie Ramsburg at dramsburg@sirweb.org.
Look for toolkits and other valuable resources on sirweb.org, and watch for more awareness-building action plans in future issues of IRQ, including tips for building interdisciplinary teams, using social media to your advantage and more.
