Radiology practices with collaborative, consensus-based decision-making and conflict resolution processes can lead to greater standardization.
A centrally organized radiology practice with higher-level oversight of imaging protocols can be used to harmonize imaging protocols across complex, matrixed, multisite radiology practices, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology.
Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Mass., sought to determine how to reduce CT and MRI protocol variation across a multisite radiology practice at an academic medical center so that patients with similar clinical presentations are examined the same way.
The researchers reviewed data from a five-month period at a large academic radiology practice that performed approximately 800,000 radiology examinations annually. To diminish variability across the two general radiology divisions and 10 subspecialty imaging divisions, the researchers created a Harmonization Oversight Committee, which was tasked with ensuring patients with similar clinical presentations undergo the same CT or MRI protocol, regardless of where they are imaged.
The primary outcome measure was standardization of CT and MRI protocols across all sites. Secondary outcome was percent reduction of CT and MRI protocols postharmonization.
The results showed that over the five-month review period, most conflicts were found with abdominal imaging protocols because they are performed in four distinct subspecialty divisions. All were addressed effectively through the conflict resolution process. The number of unique CT or MRI protocols following the review period went from 481 (221 CTs and 260 MRIs) to 331 (125 CTs and 206 MRIs), a 31.1 percent decrease overall. There was significant variation in reduction of protocols per workgroup with the largest reduction in workgroups that overlapped multiple divisions.
The researchers concluded that by using a structured, organ system– and consensus-based quality improvement process with unambiguous decision-making, conflict resolution processes can be used to harmonize imaging protocols across complex, matrixed, multisite radiology practices, providing patients with similar clinical presentations that are imaged with the same imaging protocol.
A Victory for Radiology: New CMS Proposal Would Provide Coverage of CT Colonography in 2025
July 12th 2024In newly issued proposals addressing changes to coverage for Medicare services in 2025, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced its intent to provide coverage of computed tomography colonography (CTC) for Medicare beneficiaries in 2025.
The Reading Room Podcast: Emerging Trends in the Radiology Workforce
February 11th 2022Richard Duszak, MD, and Mina Makary, MD, discuss a number of issues, ranging from demographic trends and NPRPs to physician burnout and medical student recruitment, that figure to impact the radiology workforce now and in the near future.
ACR Collaborative Model Leads to 35 Percent Improvement with Mammography Positioning Criteria
July 1st 2024Noting significant variation with facilities for achieving passing criteria for mammography positioning, researchers found that structured interventions, ranging from weekly auditing of images taken by technologists to mechanisms for feedback from radiologists to technologists, led to significant improvements in a multicenter study.
New Study Shows Non-Radiologists Interpreting 28 Percent of Imaging for Medicare Patients
June 28th 2024While radiologists interpreted approximately 99 percent of all non-cardiac CT, MRI and nuclear medicine studies in hospital and emergency department settings for Medicare beneficiaries, new research shows significantly less radiologist review of cardiac imaging and office-based imaging.