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.

FDA commissioner, a veteran cardiologist, highlights ongoing issues with US healthcare system
FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, MD, talked to Cardiovascular Business about healthcare spending, inconsistent patient outcomes and much more.
FDA commissioner urges health systems to strengthen AI quality oversight
FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, MD, explains the need for hospitals to perform quality assurance checks on clinical artificial intelligence to ensure these technologies don't "drift" from what was originally cleared by the FDA.
Clinical decision support significantly reduces use of CT for pulmonary embolism
Across 340,000 hospital admissions, there was a 7.4% decrease in CTPA use after referrers started consulting CDS, experts write in JACR.
AI prevents mammography positioning errors before exposure
And it can spot positioning errors in less than two seconds, new research suggests.
Frequent AI use may increase radiologists’ risk of burnout
The problem is particularly pronounced among members of the specialty who already have a high workload or are skeptical of artificial intelligence.

US infant mortality takes a turn for the worse

In calendar year 2022, annual infant mortality alarmingly rose in four states while receding to a reassuring degree in just one.

November 2, 2023

14-year old invents soap to treat skin cancer, earns award

Ninth grader Heman Bekele was awarded the grand prize of “America's Top Young Scientist” in a nationwide competition.

October 25, 2023

overnight night shift attending radiologist burnout

New MRI guidelines help decrease call burden on off-hours neuroradiologists by 74%

“As radiology strives to lessen staff call burden, generalist triage can sustain clinical service levels and reduce at-home call burnout,” experts wrote in JACR.

October 25, 2023

Prior authorization for imaging causing anxiety, administrative burden for cancer patients

Payers most frequently require PA for imaging (71%), followed by IV chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy, according to new survey data.

October 20, 2023

Physicians fight to end ban on doc-owned hospitals while AHA advocates for status quo

A proposal to end the moratorium on new POHs was among several policies discussed at a House Energy & Commerce Committee hearing Oct. 19.

October 19, 2023

Multidisciplinary quality improvement initiative significantly improves on-time starts for cardiac MRI

Such delays can result in longer patient fasts, extended wait times, and poor synchronization of anesthesia induction, researchers detailed in JACR.

October 16, 2023

American College of Radiology adds 9 new topics to its influential imaging appropriateness criteria

The newest additions cover conditions such as invasive breast cancer, sepsis, and abdominal aortic aneurysm, ACR announced Tuesday.

October 10, 2023

Video of Kateita Hasanovic, RN, senior director, clinical EHR applications at Baptist Health, Jacksonville, Florida, explains how her large health system consolidated its Epic EHR and patient medication history.

How medication reconciliation data consolidation in the EHR enables better patient care

Baptist Health in Jacksonville, Florida, consolidated patient medication history from numerous facilities into one location in its Epic EHR to improve patient safety and allow data analytics.

October 10, 2023

Quality

FDA commissioner, a veteran cardiologist, highlights ongoing issues with US healthcare system

FDA commissioner urges health systems to strengthen AI quality oversight

Clinical decision support significantly reduces use of CT for pulmonary embolism

AI prevents mammography positioning errors before exposure

Frequent AI use may increase radiologists’ risk of burnout