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.

Family of heart patient who died awarded $45M after suing health system for negligence
The 55-year-old patient woke up experiencing chest pain one morning and an ambulance was called. He was dead just a few hours later. His family's lawsuit argued that delays in care, communication errors and other issues were directly responsible for his death.
How to score accreditation for a radiotherapy theranostics program
Wes Folds, a PET specialist with the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission, discusses a new nuclear offering from IAC.
Referrers want more structured radiology reports
Ordering physicians believe templated reporting more clearly communicates impressions regarding neuro patients, which often require more complex workups and management.
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.

Written PDAs a quick, easy way to ‘enhance IR patients’ sense of empowerment’

Interventional radiology patients who receive this type of patient decision aid for consent purposes tend to feel more heard and better informed.

Improving the diagnostic value of portable imaging: Experts propose 3 interventions

After experts from one institution evaluated 500 portable chest x-rays completed during the summer of 2021, it was revealed that 46.2% of the images obtained were problematic, requiring the imaging to be repeated.

Might AI automation improve peer review?

With the software’s help, the ratio of CTs requiring radiologist review to missed findings identified was 10:1, experts shared, adding that without the help of AI that ratio would be at least 66:1.

Majority of Americans do not approve of U.S. healthcare system

The majority of U.S. adults do not approve of how healthcare is handled in the nation, according to a recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Long and longer: Imaging wait times in Canada

Prior to the arrival of COVID-19 in early 2020, Canadian patients waited nearly three months for an MRI and more than 11 weeks for a CT. Things have only gotten worse since then.

Deep learning reconstruction levels playing field between 1.5T and 3T MRI exams

Denoising using deep learning techniques can boost the performance of 1.5T MR brain imaging, resulting in quality comparable or superior to 3T imaging.

Outreach team builds system to head off screening cancellations

Expanding available hours on top of calling with reminders did the equity-focused job with encouraging effectiveness.

Heart studies under fire for allegedly manipulating data

Three medical journals are investigating possible manipulation of data in heart studies led by researchers from Temple University that found favorable health impacts of blood thinners.

Quality

Family of heart patient who died awarded $45M after suing health system for negligence

How to score accreditation for a radiotherapy theranostics program

Referrers want more structured radiology reports

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