CT technologist Anand Patel (Jay Paul)
To make sure a patient’s scan was accurate, CT technologist Anand Patel routinely takes a second look at the images he’s produced. It was this attention to detail that helped save a patient from a potentially disastrous misdiagnosis a while back.
A young man in his 20s or 30s had come to the emergency room with some sort of neurological event. Patel took images, which were read and interpreted by the on-duty radiologist as normal. Because he feels he learns from reviewing CT scans with the radiologist’s report, Patel took another look. When he did, he noticed something that he felt warranted a second exam.
Patel spoke to the ER doctor who had ordered the images, and the doctor then consulted with the radiologist. “They did an MRI, and the patient was having a stroke,” Patel says. “Radiologists are human and mistakes can happen. It’s always good to have a second pair of eyes.” Patel tries to approach this type of situation with a nonthreatening mindset, along the lines of “Can you make sure I’m wrong?”
“The radiologist was appreciative,” he says. “Ultimately, patient care is why we are in this business.”
Patel, who has a bachelor’s degree in radiography from the University of Oklahoma, has been working for Parham Doctors’ Hospital since 2009, when he moved to Richmond. He became interested in the medical field when he was in elementary school and was intrigued by pictures of X-rays and MRIs in books.
What he enjoys most about his job is the patient interaction. “I see everything from pediatrics to geriatrics,” he says.
“I walk my patients through the process.
I explain the procedure and try to let them know why the exam was ordered. I try to calm them down and answer any questions they have. I get great joy when the patient is satisfied.”
Nurse practitioner Shelley Woodley a former co-worker describes Patel as a true patient advocate. “He gets along with people very well,” she says. “And he’s respectful to his colleagues. He’s always willing to assist.”
She worked with Patel before she went to Bon Secours Surgical Dermatology Center and was impressed with his work ethic. “He’s very efficient, and that means a lot in the ER,” she says. “There was very rarely a backlog waiting when he was the primary technologist working. He handles volume very well.”
Patel sees himself as part of the ER team, working with patients, physicians, nurses, radiologists and other staff. “You need to have a good rapport with all of the staff,” he says. “That’s how it works. If you try to go it alone, it won’t be a pleasant experience. We are part of the health-care team for the patient. If you work with everyone around you, you have a good outcome.”
Sometimes he will have a patient ask him if he likes his work. He’ll start with a joke. “It pays the bills,” he says, laughing. “Then I tell him I enjoy it. There is never a day that I don’t want to come in to work.”