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.

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Amyloid blood test could eliminate millions in spending on PET imaging for Alzheimer’s

At roughly $5,000 per positron emission tomography exam, experts estimate the U.S. healthcare system could save $9 million (or about $1,432 per patient) on imaging. 

April 4, 2024

Portion of patients undergoing CTA for headache or dizziness soars 67% while positivity rate plummets

That’s according to new research out of the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute, published in Internal and Emergency Medicine.  

March 29, 2024
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Certain patients face lower odds of undergoing an interventional radiology service, higher death risk

Black, Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander patients are significantly less likely to undergo an IR procedure for acute, pulmonary embolism. 

March 21, 2024
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HBO’s John Oliver skewers state medical boards over ‘oopsies!’

"[S]ome states, including—until recently—Texas, even employ an honor-system approach, which relies on physicians to self-report. But guess what? The bad doctors tend not to do that, because they’re bad doctors."

March 14, 2024
Functional magnetic resonance imaging can offer providers insight into brain connectivity abnormalities and how they correlate with cognitive impairments observed in patients with insomnia. #insomnia #troublesleeping

Daylight saving time boosts malpractice severity, payouts

As most of the U.S. shifts to daylight saving time this week, a new study reveals that malpractice severity and payment decisions are higher in this part of the year than during standard time.

March 12, 2024
Artificial intelligence can help make breast cancer screening mammography more accurate.

FDA highlights mammography issues at 3 radiology practices, posing ‘serious risk to human health’

The agency on March 5 issued separate alerts detailing quality challenges at imaging providers in Michigan, California and Texas. 

March 11, 2024
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Hospitals backslide on price transparency test

Pricing transparency report cards for 2024 are out, and the grades for U.S. hospitals have dipped for the first time since the federal government reset the standards in 2021.

March 5, 2024
2024 has been a banner year for structural heart treatments, especially those focused on the tricuspid valve. In February, for example, Edwards Lifesciences made history when its Evoque transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (TTVR) system became the first device of its kind to gain U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for treating tricuspid regurgitation (TR). Two months later, Abbott’s TriClip transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) system also gained FDA approval for the treatment of TR.

Cardiac imaging use is skyrocketing, and radiologists are rising to the challenge

Over the course of a decade, the number of CT exams leapt 353% by 2022, while MRI climbed nearly 283%, researchers detailed Wednesday. 

February 29, 2024