Challenges to radiologists regarding reporting of medico-legal cases (MLC)

Abstract

During the past few decades, the world of radiologists has been remarkably influenced by the progress in advanced technology. A multi-parametric analysis is required regarding pathological alterations and in-depth details corresponding to each case because of extended the imaging spectrum. The total dependency is mostly upon imaging. Therefore, radiologists need to meet up the complex health quality standards. Radiologists mostly report and scan cases referred from Surgical, Medicine, Pediatrics, orthopedics and Gynecology. And on the other hand they face certain critical issues and challenges in dealing with medico-legal cases. Although they have to follow medical protocols but medico-legal cases are still very difficult to handle. This research highlights all the issues and challenges regarding medico-legal cases faced by the department of Radiology and Emergency of Saidu teaching Hospital Swat. This study was conducted at this Saidu Teaching Hospital Swat, and the study duration was 6 months (April 2021-September 2021). More than 116 people (doctors, radiologists, nurses, and paramedical staff) have participated in this research. Results show that radiologists and other medical staff handle the unexpected and critical challenges in these cases. While writing examination findings, reporting CT scans, MRI, X-Rays and doing ultrasounds, they face political, patient attendant, hospital, and other party pressure to alter the reports to make other party guilty. This article addressed all the issues and challenges that radiologists meet in medical-legal cases.