In order to avoid sending symptomatic patients to community radiology providers unnecessarily, your co-operation is respectfully requested: please consider very carefully whether a POAC chest X ray is indicated for patients presenting with LRTI.
Acute chest X ray under POAC is not indicated unless it has the potential to avoid same-day hospital presentation or change immediate management.
In accordance with the Auckland Regional HealthPathway for Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) in Adults, chest X ray is not usually needed in CAP unless it will change management
If x ray is necessary, please wait until a negative COVID test result is received prior to sending the patient for imaging, as patients should be self-isolating until results are known
If you believe a patient with LRTIis unwell enough to require chest X ray to guide immediate management, they are likely to require hospital admission. Please discuss with your local General Medicine Specialist