Dear Doctor Letter

The Dear Doctor Letter was created in collaboration with the Physician’s Medical Advisory Board to address the lack of imaging for the strangled patient, explain the risks, and encourage hospitals to adopt Medical Radiographic Imaging Recommendations for non-fatal strangulation patients. The letter details how the imaging guidelines were created, how expert consensus was reached, includes a recent case study, and provides references in support of imaging. The letter also discusses the anticipated concerns for CTA imaging and possible liability for medical malpractice. It is recommended that this letter be shared with hospitals who have not developed a protocol for the strangled patient or are routinely denying imaging for non-fatal strangulation patients.