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 Imaging experts cast further doubts about CT’s place in radiologists’ COVID diagnosis toolkit

A group of a 11 U.S. imaging experts are the latest to join this group, publishing their reservations in the American Journal of Roentgenology.

April 16, 2020

American College of Radiology updates imaging appropriateness criteria with 4 new topics

In addition, the college also revised a dozen more categories to help radiologists determine how to deploy imaging in certain scenarios.

April 14, 2020

Postpone all but the most dire breast imaging, ACR, cancer centers and surgeons advise

The groups convened an expert panel of stakeholders to help determine what types of breast care are most urgent and which procedures can wait until the pandemic clears.

April 13, 2020

CT continues filling COVID-19 diagnosis void as more radiologists urge caution on its use

Radiology providers continue using computed tomography as a key tool to diagnose the new coronavirus, despite a growing group of experts lining up against this practice.

April 9, 2020

Coronavirus cases in the US top other countries

The U.S. has surpassed the rest of the world with the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to data from Johns Hopkins.

March 27, 2020

CMS grants radiologists a reprieve from quality payment programs due to COVID-19

As part of the action, federal officials said they’re extending the deadline to submit 2019 MIPS data to April 30.

March 24, 2020

CMS found ‘immediate jeopardy’ situations in nursing home where coronavirus ravaged residents, staff

CMS conducted an inspection of a nursing home based in Kirkland, Washington, the Life Care Center, considered to be the epicenter of the state’s outbreak of the new coronavirus, and is planning to inspect more nursing homes impacted by the virus.

March 24, 2020

Where Medicaid coverage is most prevalent

Medicaid has undergone significant changes over the last several years, both after states were allowed to expand the federal program under the Affordable Care Act and after President Trump recently announced states will be allowed to cap spending for the program.

March 23, 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