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.

Artificial intelligence can help make breast cancer screening mammography more accurate.

AI-based decision support tool can reduce unnecessary breast biopsies, save millions

Scientists at Houston Methodist Hospital developed the intelligent-augmented breast cancer risk calculator, testing it across a large dataset to produce promising results. 

August 11, 2023
scales of justice

‘Unstoppable’ radiologist keeps practicing despite millions in fines, mounting investigations

James McGuckin, MD, most recently made the news in May when the DOJ filed suit against him and his affiliated practices. 

August 11, 2023
Doctors have increasingly been seeing breast exams with swollen lymph nodes imitating cancer in patients who have received a vaccine, prompting Penn Medicine providers to offer up guidance. mammography mammogram breast cancer

Breast cancer overdiagnosis may be common among older women, study contends

The findings point to a "real need for better tools to identify which women may benefit from screening and which breast cancers are unlikely to be progressive." 

August 8, 2023
quality imaging appropriateness clinical decision support CAS AUC

ACR shares concerns about specialty’s ‘struggle’ to participate in alternative payment models

Barriers to radiologists’ success in MIPS include their ineligibility to earn maximum incentive adjustments, despite perfect performance. 

August 4, 2023
us news world report best hospitals

U.S. News: Out with overall hospital rankings, in with alphabetically ordered ‘honor rolls’

U.S. News & World Report has posted its annual list of America’s best hospitals. But be warned. If you’re checking to see whether Mayo Clinic occupies the overall top spot for the eighth straight year, you’ll go down looking.

August 2, 2023

Medicare spent upward of $3.8B on low-value imaging and cancer screenings in 1 year: MedPAC

“Imaging for nonspecific low back pain” was listed as the most frequently occurring low-value service, impacting upward of 9.3% of beneficiaries. 

July 31, 2023

EHR nudge helps health system drop use of unnecessary lumbar X-rays by 53%

Researchers with NYC Health + Hospitals detailed their large-scale quality improvement project in the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

July 28, 2023
private equity corporatization business consolidation

Private equity-backed healthcare services bring more harm than good to patients, report reveals

Given the rapid growth of PE ownership in healthcare, the report's concerning data give pause to how such entities should be regulated, experts involved in the work suggested.

July 25, 2023