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.

How much exposure do medical students have to IR programs?

Medical student exposure to interventional radiology (IR) is crucial to the success of integrated IR residency programs, though current research indicates few institutions offer formal IR subinternship rotations, according to new research published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

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Second-opinion imaging consultations impact care for patients with HPB disease

Second-opinion imaging consultations can directly impact the management of patients with hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) disease, according to new research published in the American Journal of Roentgenology.

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Less than half of imaging-related quality improvement projects use iterative cycles

New research published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology suggests less than half of quality improvement (QI) projects in radiology journals use iterative cycles to refine interventions.

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Microscope add-on could be a game-changer for 2D, 3D brain imaging

Researchers have developed an add-on for laser-scanning microscopes that can improve the quality of 2D and 3D imaging of the brain, according to a new study published in Optica.

PSMA PET may lead to misdiagnosis, unnecessary changes in treatment

PET imaging is a common tool to establish the stage of a patient’s prostate cancer, but new research raises questions about its association with misdiagnosis and unnecessary changes in therapies. Benign tissues in the kidney, bowels and salivary glands may show increased prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) expression, prompting experts to caution against relying solely on PSMA PET.

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Researchers suggest improved patient care, not screening, responsible for drops in breast cancer mortality

Breast cancer mortality is on the decline, but can that drop be attributed to improved screening policies? According to the team behind a new study published in International Journal of Cancer, better treatment—not screening—is responsible for the shift.

Early intervention, revised quality metrics could dampen radiologist burnout

Researchers quantified evidence to identify primary consequences of burnout, including actionable steps for organizations to mitigate its effects, for a new study in JAMA Internal Medicine. Though the research examines physicians as a whole, the conclusions are applicable to medical imaging, where half of all radiologists report symptoms of burnout.

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ACR asks its members: What do your patients value?

On the American College of Radiology’s Voice of Radiology blog, Melissa Chen, MD, announced plans to build on last year’s survey of patient attitudes toward imaging. ACR will begin to develop a new survey to help define exactly what patients value when interacting with medical imaging professionals.

Around the web

The patient, who was being cared for in the ICU, was not accompanied or monitored by nursing staff during his exam, despite being sedated.

The nuclear imaging isotope shortage of molybdenum-99 may be over now that the sidelined reactor is restarting. ASNC's president says PET and new SPECT technologies helped cardiac imaging labs better weather the storm.

CMS has more than doubled the CCTA payment rate from $175 to $357.13. The move, expected to have a significant impact on the utilization of cardiac CT, received immediate praise from imaging specialists.