Exploring the use of the Tarmed coding system for establishing the annual frequency of medical x-ray examinations in Switzerland

Surveying the frequency of medical x-ray examinations is of prime importance in the assessment of the collective detriment due to diagnostic and interventional radiology. In the past, this was performed using paper questionnaires, but today there is an increasing interest in the automatic collection of the frequency data for reasons related to reducing the work load and increasing the accuracy of the results. This paper present the work performed in Switzerland to explore the use of the Tarmed coding system for this purpose. The preliminary investigation covering a sample of examinations indicates that Tarmed coding can easily be used for the collection of radiography and CT examinations, but presents some difficulties for fluoroscopy, mainly in the case of complex angiography and interventional examinations.