When people are referred by their personal physician to a specialist, they usually see the specialist in his or her office for a consultation. Following the office visit, if the patient and physician deem a procedure to be appropriate, the procedure is scheduled in a facility such as an ambulatory surgicenter or hospital procedure room. Interventional radiologists, on the other hand, most often see their consultation patients at the time of the procedure in the hospital setting where the procedure will be performed, rather than in their own office. Changing this approach can yield benefits for the radiology practice, as well as for the patient.
