Incidental Findings Coordinator: A New Role for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses

Abstract

Incidental findings are commonly found during routine, diagnostic imaging. Prevalence varies widely; but research shows that follow-up of incidental findings is poor. Further, incidental findings that are likely to change clinical outcomes are not necessarily more likely to receive follow-up care. It has also been shown that both lack of management and over-management can lead to poor patient outcomes. Innovative solutions are needed to ensure timely follow-up care and appropriate management of incidental findings. One possible solution to address low clinical follow-up care of incidental findings is to employ advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) as incidental findings coordinators. The coordinator would have the potential to improve communication and defragment care. The aims of this article are to discuss the problem of low follow-up care of clinically relevant incidental findings and to present a recommendation for a new role for APRNs to address the problem. In this article the authors will review the literature, describe the search for answers, present a new role for the APRN as an incidental findings coordinator, and conclude that the APRN incidental findings coordinator role has the potential to solve many problems encountered in current practice.