Quality

The focus of quality improvement in healthcare is to bolster performance and processes related to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Leaders in this space also ensure the proper selection of imaging exams and procedures, and monitor the safety of services, among other duties. Reimbursement programs such as the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) utilize financial incentives to improve quality. This also includes setting and maintaining care quality initiatives, such as the requirements set by the Joint Commission.

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Radiologists and other docs express growing frustration with Merit-based Incentive Payment System

Over 30 medical societies including the American College of Radiology recently wrote to CMS Administrator Mehmet C. Oz, MD, MBA, to voice their concerns. 

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Common reasons why a radiology department rejects requests for diagnostic imaging

Breast imaging exams are about five times likelier to be canceled than other scan types, while contrast enhanced and ED-related requests were about twice as likely. 

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Are LLMs ready for radiology? Research reveals how chatbots' performance has evolved over time

Large language models have shown great potential in medical imaging, but their success has been hindered by their wavering effectiveness. Now, nearly three years after ChatGPT's release, experts are sharing new insights. 

Dana Smetherman, MD, MPH, MBA, FACR, chief executive officer of the American College of Radiology, explains how the consolidation of radiology practices into larger corporate entities now makes up more than 50% of how radiologists are employed. This led to changes in how ACR accredits sites.

ACR changing its accreditation process in response to corporate consolidation

CEO Dana Smetherman, MD, MPH, MBA, explains how the consolidation of radiology practices has shifted how the college thinks about its processes. 

Joan Michaels, RN, director of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) Transcatheter Valve Therapies (TVT) and IMPACT congenital heart registries, said the addition of the ambulatory surgical center (ASC) registry comes at a time when hospitals are expanding structural heart programs and ASC's will likely play a growing role to help free up more hospital cath labs for the more complex cases.

New registry helps hospitals expand outpatient services for heart patients

The initiation of the ACC Ambulatory Surgical Center Registry comes at a time when hospitals are expanding their structural heart programs. The registry is providing valuable details about which patients should stay at the hospital and which can be treated in an outpatient setting.

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Repeat imaging rates higher when scans are interpreted by nurse practitioners, physician assistants

The finding is based on an analysis of nearly 1.4 million office-based imaging claims, conducted by the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute.  

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Members of Congress condemn Medicare model targeting ‘wasteful’ interventional radiology services

“It is not an exaggeration to say that the requirement of prior authorization for traditional Medicare services will kill seniors,” says Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis. 

AI model reduces false positives on lung cancer CT scans

AI model nearly halves false positive rates for lung cancer CT screenings

Reducing false positives could decrease the frequency of unnecessary procedures, lower the associated costs and also ease patient anxiety concerning CT results.