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.

The best children’s heart hospitals in the US
The annual list is based on resources, services provided, outcomes data and survey responses from thousands of physicians. Did your facility make the cut?
AI algorithm effectively repurposes CT scans to screen for 2 key chronic diseases
Experts are hopeful that routine CT scans could serve the dual purpose of screening patients for both osteoporosis and heart disease.
Impella heart pump provides value during high-risk PCI, meta-analysis confirms
Using an Impella heart pump during high-risk PCI was linked to a reduced short-term mortality rate and an acceptable safety profile.
Hundreds of MRI units affected by FDA Class 1 recall
Failure to address these issues could "cause serious adverse health consequences or death," the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently warned providers.
Google's Gemini answers patients' IR questions with greater accuracy, more empathy than providers
Some of today’s large language models may be more effective communicators than providers when it comes to explaining interventional radiology procedures.

Second-opinion interpretations of breast imaging studies: Are they worth the additional resources?

Seeking second-opinion interpretations of breast imaging studies in patients not presently diagnosed with breast cancer can provide significant value, according to a new study published by the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

Protocol changes reduce likelihood of oversedation during radiology procedures

Updating hospital protocols can reduce the frequency of oversedation events during invasive radiology procedures, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

Are electronic QA tools introducing new hazards to the radiology suite?

Swapping traditional paper checklists for digital alternatives could cut the time physicists and dosimetrists spend on quality assurance (QA) within radiation therapy, researchers have reported in Practical Radiology Oncology. But it’s still unclear whether an electronic approach will really improve patient safety or quality of care.

What a well-oiled democracy can teach radiologists about burnout

Physician burnout has a lot to do with democracy, Richard B. Gunderman, MD, PhD, wrote in the Journal of the American College of Radiology this month—and radiologists should be following the lead of the American College of Radiology (ACR) to combat it.

Safety hazards in radiology departments likely to originate during early treatment

Reporting safety concerns in radiology is a practice that’s been growing in the U.S. alongside increasing awareness of incident learning systems. It’s also one that’s prompting physicians to look into where—and how often—safety hazards are appearing in daily practice.

Billing, clerical errors cost Illinois' Cook County hospitals $165M

The report from Illinois' Cook County inspector general pinned much of the blame on the system’s bureaucracy, citing “a significant number of registration clerks, coders and billers who do not possess adequate self-motivation or the required skill sets and knowledge base” to do the jobs they’ve been assigned.

5 of the most common deficiencies found by HFAP

The Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP) has released the 2018 edition of its annual quality report, illustrating how deficiencies were most commonly found at the hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) it inspects.

Residency program directors agree: Medical students don't receive enough radiology training

Medical students today are largely unprepared for standard radiologic interpretation as interns, according to research published in Academic Radiology this May. That lack of knowledge could be costing U.S. healthcare.

Quality

The best children’s heart hospitals in the US

AI algorithm effectively repurposes CT scans to screen for 2 key chronic diseases

Impella heart pump provides value during high-risk PCI, meta-analysis confirms

Hundreds of MRI units affected by FDA Class 1 recall

Google's Gemini answers patients' IR questions with greater accuracy, more empathy than providers