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.

Imaging watchdog Covera Health inks first payer partnership aimed at boosting radiology quality

The NYC startup made waves last year when it teamed with Walmart to help the retail giant guide employees toward high-value diagnostics.

September 2, 2020

peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC)

Guidelines produce sizable drop in PICC line use, with radiologists leading the way

Peripherally inserted central catheters are a widely used and essential method for venous access, but they can lead to major complications such as infections and thrombosis.

August 27, 2020

Skyrocketing use of emergency brain imaging is out of step with overall ED trends

The findings raise questions about imaging overutilization, Emory University radiology experts wrote in JACR.

August 21, 2020

Radiologists make significantly more mistakes on the night shift than they do during the day

Errors increased during the back-half of the late shift compared to the earlier portion, Mayo Clinic imaging experts reported in Radiology.

August 18, 2020

Diagnostic imaging serves no purpose in assessing breast pain, internal medicine docs stress

In a recent JAMA editorial, three UT Southwestern Medical Center internists implored their peers to shelve this low-value practice.

August 17, 2020

Mask study finds one style actually increases transmission risk

Among 14 common types of protective face mask is one that may do more harm than good.

August 11, 2020

Some sleepers arise in rankings of top (and bottom) states for healthcare

It’s no shock to find Massachusetts and Minnesota topping the states as the best in which to receive high-quality healthcare with good access and reasonable out-of-pocket prices. But look which state leads the way in getting at-risk adults to the doctor for routine visits.

August 3, 2020

Bolstering breast imaging recall letter readability significantly improves timely patient follow-up

That’s according to a new retrospective study out of Johns Hopkins, published in JACR.

July 30, 2020

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