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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How radiologists can reduce downstream costs associated with incidental pulmonary nodules

Downstream costs associated with incidental pulmonary nodules are higher when ordering physicians do not adhere to radiologist recommendations or industry guidelines, according to a new study published in Academic Radiology. This gives radiologists yet another opportunity to provide additional value and help cut costs.

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How radiologists can prioritize patient safety while maintaining quality in the CT suite

A patient-centered approach to contrast administration in CT, outlined this month in the Journal of the American College of Radiology, balances contrast dose with radiation dose, reportedly increasing patient safety while maintaining high-quality diagnostics.

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Multidisciplinary clinics can improve quality of care for prostate cancer patients

One-day multidisciplinary clinics at community centers can improve the quality of care for prostate cancer patients, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

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Mental wellness could be key to overcoming burnout for radiologists

Burnout is on the rise among radiologists, but it isn’t all bad news, according to a recent Academic Radiology review. By prioritizing mental wellness, promoting open communication and cultivating a healthy work environment, practice administrators can help mitigate the fatigue caused by excessive workloads and long hours.

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ICU providers let feelings about a patient’s condition influence imaging utilization

At a time when CMS is pushing physicians to check appropriate use criteria before ordering advanced imaging exams, new research suggests intensive care unit (ICU) providers often rely on a difference resource before placing an order: their instincts.

Just 30% of US radiology society members are women—and few are in leadership roles

North American radiology societies are suffering from a gender divide, according to recent research that found only 30 percent of society members in the U.S. are women, with a smaller proportion holding leadership positions.

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Why immunotherapy research will suffer until clinicians agree on universal QA standards for radiotherapy

Dozens of research papers and large-scale trials are evidence that interest in immunotherapy is growing among oncologists, according to an editorial published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics, but that research won’t be able to grow without universal adherence to quality assurance (QA) standards for radiation therapy. For now, at least, that’s not the reality.

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Outside the reading room: Field trips expose medical students to patient-centered radiology

Integrating structured field trips to the imaging department during a four-week radiology clerkship could help expose medical students to the patient-centered, team-based aspects of the specialty, according to a review published this July in Academic Radiology.

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.