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.

Medicare cost-cutting initiative targets ‘wasteful, inappropriate’ interventional radiology services
IRs criticized the CMS proposal, believing it could lead to excess morbidity and mortality in Medicare.
Radiology group cyberattack exposes private info of over 150,000 patients
The information exposed during the attack included names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and service charges.
Hospital redesigns radiology 2nd opinion service, scoring 92% collection success rate
OSU Medical Center has addressed common challenges including insufficient documentation, miscommunication, and the risk of repeat imaging.
Experts share recipe to reduce radiologist recommendations for unnecessary extra imaging
Education and other initiatives helped cut the rate of radiologist recommendations for additional imaging by 44% compared to a control site.
The top 25 heart hospitals in the United States
Newsweek and Statista have crunched the data and ranked the top U.S. hospitals for cardiac care. Did your facility make the cut?

Deep learning slashes real-world MRI scan times

Accelerated MRI with AI image reconstruction nearly halved orthopedic scan times while maintaining or even improving image quality in a newly published prospective study.

Do non-physician providers request contrast-enhanced imaging more often?

The growing presence of non-physician practitioners has created an increased demand for contrast-enhanced imaging, according to new data.

The FDA tracks mammography systems and the number of exams performed in the U.S. through its Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA) program. This is an example of the GE Senobright HD imaging system.

Cancer deaths have dropped dramatically

Cancer mortality rates have plunged, dropping one-third, since the 1990s, according to a recent report from the American Cancer Society.

How cardiologists can improve in-hospital outcomes after PCI

Researchers evaluated if two recently developed risk scores can anticipate adverse in-hospital outcomes after PCI, sharing their findings in the American Journal of Cardiology.

Mo-99 supplier reaches ‘major milestone’ in non-uranium-based production

Backed with financial support and technical prowess from the U.S. Department of Energy, NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes has shown it can produce, at scale, a critical nuclear imaging radiotracer without using highly enriched uranium.

Simulations help 'accelerate the TEE learning curve' for cardiology trainees

Simulation-based training can help cardiology fellows improve their TTE abilities, even when instructors or equipment are in short supply.

Why cardiologists should pay close attention to rehospitalizations after TAVR or SAVR

A new analysis in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions examined rehospitalization rates after AVR, noting that they are consistently associated with worse outcomes and a higher risk of patient mortality.

Industry group pushes for cannabis screenings in surgery

The American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA Pain Medicine) has released new guidelines surrounding cannabis use in relation to surgery, advocating for all patients undergoing procedures with anesthesia to be screened for cannabis use.

Quality

Medicare cost-cutting initiative targets ‘wasteful, inappropriate’ interventional radiology services

Radiology group cyberattack exposes private info of over 150,000 patients

Hospital redesigns radiology 2nd opinion service, scoring 92% collection success rate

Experts share recipe to reduce radiologist recommendations for unnecessary extra imaging

The top 25 heart hospitals in the United States