With medical imaging under scrutiny in the U.S. as a contributor to rising healthcare costs, more and more clinicians and administrators are seeking ways not only to work smarter with available resources, but also to demonstrate radiology's benefits to the whole healthcare enterprise.
"Quality metrics in radiology can extend across the patient care experience," RSNA health policy subcommittee chair Dr. Ruth Carlos of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor told AuntMinnie.com. "When people think about radiology, they think about films, but the patient experience begins at the scheduling point and continues to when the report is sent to the referring physician. We have opportunities to improve quality throughout that process."
A number of abstracts on the characteristics of a quality radiology report will be presented at the conference, Carlos said (Tuesday, December 1, SSJ11, 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m., Room S102D).
"[Radiologists'] primary work product is not the films but the report," she said. "And the information in that report is what we provide to the referring physician. We'll have abstracts at the conference that address the contributors to quality in radiology reports, what the 'customer' really wants, and ways of reporting on neuroradiology exams in a format similar to mammography's BI-RADS structure."
Multisession courses in quality improvement will include tracks on professional assessment and challenges (how can practices manage the underperforming radiologist?), safety and risk management in the radiology department, and the financial and reimbursement aspects of business quality and safety (Sessions QI31, QI32, and QI33, Tuesday, December 1, 8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m., Room S406B).
"Taking a holistic approach to patient care by addressing quality issues through the whole patient experience will be a key issue at this year's conference," Carlos said.
For highlights in health policy and practice management from this year's conference, check out the topics below. To view the RSNA's scientific program directly, visit the conference Web site by clicking here.
