Dear AuntMinnie Member,
California regulators have fined a hospital where a 2-year-old boy sustained a massive overdose of radiation, receiving 151 CT scans in a one-hour period.
The state's department of public health has levied a $25,000 fine against Mad River Community Hospital in Arcata, according to an article by staff writer Cynthia E. Keen in our Pediatric Imaging Digital Community. State investigators believe the hospital failed to follow its own policies regarding radiation safety.
The department's report on the incident reveals disturbing new details about the case -- and comes during a time of heightened awareness regarding pediatric CT dose. Are there lessons that radiology professionals can learn to prevent similar incidents in the future? Find out by clicking here, or visit our Pediatric Imaging Digital Community at pediatric.auntminnie.com.
MGH cuts imaging growth
In other news, we're featuring a story by staff writer Kate Madden Yee in our Healthcare IT Digital Community on how Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) of Boston used healthcare IT to slow the growth of advanced imaging procedures at the hospital.
MGH set up a computerized radiology order entry system, and combined it with decision-support tools that informed clinicians when an imaging test they were about to order was medically unnecessary. The researchers found that with the system they were able to slow the growth rate for advanced imaging procedures -- especially for CT. Click here for that story.
Imaging and the economy, part 2
Finally, we're featuring the second and final installment of our series by contributing writer Rick Dana Barlow on the economic meltdown's impact on medical imaging. You can find the story, which deals with the industry's prospects for recovery, in our Imaging Center Digital Community or by clicking here.
