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.

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.
Efforts needed to improve interventional radiology awareness among specialists: Survey
The call to action comes from a poll of over 500 specialists at a single academic institution, published in the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology.
Small practices, individual radiologists at a disadvantage in Medicare quality pay program
“Unfortunately, the imbalance in available MIPS radiology measures is worsening,” study co-author Lauren Nicola, MD, CEO of Triad Radiology Associates, said Wednesday.
ACR hopes new quality metric could boost lung cancer screening rates to 70%
The National Committee for Quality Assurance is taking public comment on the health plan quality metric until March 13.
Veterans with heart disease often receive better care through VA than they would elsewhere
Military veterans face an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, making it especially important to ensure they receive high-quality care.

Modern FLIM system allows for high-res imaging on a macro scale

Scientists in Germany and Russia have achieved macroscale imaging with fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), opening the field to opportunities for imaging whole tumors and areas the size of several square centimeters, the Optical Society announced this week.

Recommendations inconsistent for managing high-risk breast lesions detected by core needle biopsy

Management recommendations for high-risk lesions detected by a core needle biopsy of the breast are inconsistent, according to a new study published in Current Problems in Diagnostic Radiology. Could the development of consensus recommendations improve patient care?

CMS unveils 3 initiatives to 'improve program integrity' of Medicaid

Emphasize program integrity in audits of state claims for federal match funds and medical loss ratios (MLRs). CMS will audit some states based on clinical services spending and quality improvements.

4 accused of $200M insurance fraud in kickback scheme

Individuals from Mississippi were indicted for defrauding insurance companies for $200 million with high-priced compounded formulations and bribing providers—including dentists, physicians and nurse practitioners—to prescribe those medications to patients they never examined.

Pennsylvania nurse calls for better self-care among those in an overworked population

Most American nurses put their patients’ health and safety above their own, potentially impacting patient care, one Pennsylvania nurse wrote in the Journal of Radiology Nursing this month.

How radiology program directors use real-time recruitment data to cut costs, predict residency match outcomes

Real-time and historical recruitment data published ahead of resident match season can help radiology program directors limit their application and recruitment costs, but the same statistics are largely ignored by medical students themselves, a report published in Academic Radiology this month suggests.

Dose-tracking software improves quality of interventional procedures

Introducing a dose-monitoring software to procedures in interventional and neuro-interventional radiology could be useful for tracking patient radiation thresholds and improving procedural performance, Brandon C. Perry, MD, and colleagues at the University of Washington have reported in Academic Radiology.

Breast cancer patients report less pain, itching during radiotherapy when using barrier film

Breast cancer patients report reduced sensitivity and pain during radiotherapy when using a barrier film over treatment areas, according to a Danish study published this month in Technical Innovations and Patient Support in Radiation Oncology.

Quality

Most stock photos fail to accurately portray the work of radiologists

Efforts needed to improve interventional radiology awareness among specialists: Survey

Small practices, individual radiologists at a disadvantage in Medicare quality pay program

ACR hopes new quality metric could boost lung cancer screening rates to 70%

Veterans with heart disease often receive better care through VA than they would elsewhere