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.

Shared decision-making visits significantly boost CT lung cancer screening adherence
SDM "is more than just a billing requirement—it’s a valuable opportunity to engage patients," says radiologist Farouk Dako, MD, MPH.
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.

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.

Fraud, bias, iffy authorship ‘non-negligible practices’ in nuke med research

Nuclear radiologists are overall confident in the scientific soundness of studies published within their field. Those working in Asia are especially trusting. However ...

Imaging fraud lands surgeon in jail

An orthopedic surgeon in California will spend seven years in prison for needlessly X-raying 10 patients hundreds of times over a four-year stretch.

The rise and fall of race-based radiation dosing: 4 lessons

Thanks to public outcry and legislative action in 1968, Black patients have not routinely received higher-dose X-rays than their fair-skinned peers for more than half a century.

Consequential imaging: 6 ways prenatal ultrasound affects health and/or care

Parents-to-be consider prenatal ultrasound imaging a ceremonial custom they don’t want to miss out on.

US life expectancy falls, primarily due to COVID-19

The numbers are worse for men compared to women, according to a new CDC report.

‘Low-trust’ providers inadvertently increase pain in patients undergoing diagnostic testing

The effect shows up on functional MRI as increased brain activity in regions involved in pain, emotion and attention—not only during the procedure but also afterward, when patients remember the experience and score its discomfort level.

Most overdose patients are not tested for fentanyl

Hospital ER departments are missing out on overdose surveillance as the opioid epidemic continues to ravage the United States.

Quality

Shared decision-making visits significantly boost CT lung cancer screening adherence

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