Electromyography Referrals Principles and Practices for Optimizing EMG Orders

Carrie Ford, CNCT interviews Clark Moser, MD, ABEM, ABPN on "Electromyography Referrals: Principles and Practices for Optimizing EMG Orders ". This podcast is for neurologists, PMRs, orthopedists, PCPs, NPs, PAs, and residents who refer patients for EMG and NCS. It also helps NCS technologists understand the clinical intent behind each referral—guided by the EMGer’s diagnostic focus. This episode offers practical strategies for improving the quality of the EMG referrals by treating each order as a focused clinical study. We review what the EMG evaluates—nerve and muscle function—and how to understand results in terms of localization and severity. Listeners will learn to move beyond vague referral terms like “weakness,” “pain,” or “paresthesia” and instead indicate in the EMG order what specific neuromuscular or electrodiagnostic question they want answered.