Patients' experience of outsourcing and care related to magnetic resonance examinations.

Background: Outsourcing radiological examinations from public university hospitals affects the patient, who has to attend a different clinic or hospital for the radiological examination. We currently have a limited understanding of how patients view outsourcing and their care related to MR examinations.

Aim: To examine the experiences of patients who are sent to private radiology units when their referrals for MR examinations are outsourced from a university hospital, as well as to explore factors which influence patient satisfaction regarding the quality of care related to the MR examination.

Methods: A group of patients (n = 160) referred for MR examinations and either examined at a university hospital or at an external private unit were interviewed. The interview was designed as a verbal questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Student's t test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson's correlation.

Results: Sixty-nine percent of the patients could neither choose nor influence the location at which they were examined. For those who could, aspects that influenced the patient's choice of radiology department were: short waiting time 79% (127/160), ease of traveling to the radiology department 68% (110/160), and short distance to their home or work 58% (93/160). For 40% (60/160) of the patients, a short time in the waiting room was related to a positive experience of the MR examination.

Conclusion: If patients were informed about outsourcing and could also choose where to have their examination, key factors contributing to patient satisfaction could be met even when MR examinations are outsourced.