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.

Quality of care for heart patients does not improve in first year of ACO participation
Researchers tracked patient outcomes through the use of 15 performance measures related to hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure and atrial fibrillation.
American Heart Association program leads to substantial improvements in stroke care
Cardiologist Gregg Fonarow, MD, reviewed decades of data and discussed the long-term impact of the AHA's Get With The Guidelines-Stroke program.
AHA still working to find more patients with severe aortic stenosis who may require care
The initiative is designed to help identify more patients who may require aortic valve replacement. Brian Lindman, MD, provided an update on the project's efforts.
Imaging experts question validity of new CMS quality measure aimed at reducing CT radiation exposure
The American Association of Physicists in Medicine recently convened a panel of industry experts, devising a list of issues with the new quality metric.
Most stock photos fail to accurately portray the work of radiologists
Only about 9% of images examined presented a “realistic view of a radiologist’s job," according to new research out of Belgium.

Multidisciplinary clinics can improve quality of care for prostate cancer patients

One-day multidisciplinary clinics at community centers can improve the quality of care for prostate cancer patients, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

Mental wellness could be key to overcoming burnout for radiologists

Burnout is on the rise among radiologists, but it isn’t all bad news, according to a recent Academic Radiology review. By prioritizing mental wellness, promoting open communication and cultivating a healthy work environment, practice administrators can help mitigate the fatigue caused by excessive workloads and long hours.

ICU providers let feelings about a patient’s condition influence imaging utilization

At a time when CMS is pushing physicians to check appropriate use criteria before ordering advanced imaging exams, new research suggests intensive care unit (ICU) providers often rely on a difference resource before placing an order: their instincts.

Just 30% of US radiology society members are women—and few are in leadership roles

North American radiology societies are suffering from a gender divide, according to recent research that found only 30 percent of society members in the U.S. are women, with a smaller proportion holding leadership positions.

Why immunotherapy research will suffer until clinicians agree on universal QA standards for radiotherapy

Dozens of research papers and large-scale trials are evidence that interest in immunotherapy is growing among oncologists, according to an editorial published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics, but that research won’t be able to grow without universal adherence to quality assurance (QA) standards for radiation therapy. For now, at least, that’s not the reality.

Bayer responds to Netflix documentary slamming birth control implant

Bayer has shot back after a documentary aired on Netflix took aim its controversial birth control implant, Essure.

Rising prices will drive healthcare spending near 20% of US GDP by 2025

The U.S. will soon spend close to 20 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on health, according to The Wall Street Journal, up from the current level of about 18 percent. In December 2017, the healthcare industry became the nation’s largest employment sector.

Outside the reading room: Field trips expose medical students to patient-centered radiology

Integrating structured field trips to the imaging department during a four-week radiology clerkship could help expose medical students to the patient-centered, team-based aspects of the specialty, according to a review published this July in Academic Radiology.

Quality

Quality of care for heart patients does not improve in first year of ACO participation

American Heart Association program leads to substantial improvements in stroke care

AHA still working to find more patients with severe aortic stenosis who may require care

Imaging experts question validity of new CMS quality measure aimed at reducing CT radiation exposure

Most stock photos fail to accurately portray the work of radiologists