Quality Initiatives in Radiology: Historical Perspectives for an Emerging Field
Introduction
Radiology refers to a specialty of medical practice which basically relates to a technique of obtaining images of body parts for surveillance, emergency rescue as well as diagnosis and subsequent treatment of diseases which can be visualized within a person’s body. There are many articles that have been written for the purposes of the clinical performance and quality of this technology in a bid to improve the safety of the patients who are subjected to the radiology treatment.
Summary
The article addresses the management of the use of radiology in healthcare and the significance of professionalism involved. It also looks at the historical perceptions of quality management by categorizing them into phases. The first phase which is advanced by the article refers to quality management during the industrial revolution. Second phase happened during the application of the science processes in manufacturing during the first and second World Wars and the third phase as the current where the quality is not only pegged in the manufacturing but is involved in many other services which include the medical field (Hattery, 2008).
It further provides insight on the state of quality programs in radiology departments in health facilities and concludes that collection of data by specific radiologist is not as accurate as one taken through a computer information system and the use of the later has largely contributed in improved patient care. According to the article, a few radiology practices revealed that the continuous quality improvement had been of cost-benefit to the radiology departments.
The article is addressed to the professionals in the field of radiology and emphasizes on the importance of quality management of the radiology improvement and subsequent treatment. It therefore aims at facilitation of continuous professional improvement and ways of maintaining the radiology technology by providing an initiative section on quality. To this end the article reiterates that the improved patient care is dependent on the subsequent improved clinical and technical part (Deitch, 1994).
The article also looks at the challenges that are encountered in the medical field with regard to participation of physicians in the processes of value assurance. The lack of evidence to show that the performance of the radiologists refer to a genuine improved health care for patients has also been pointed out as a challenge. The article therefore requests that the opportunity to improve the practice should be upheld by all the radiologists to make radiology management more effective. Further, it looks at the possibility that the council of medical education should explore ways in which institutions offering the medical education could ensure formal value assurances. According to the article, quality assurance ensures that there is enhanced competency in the medical field and consequently demonstrate high level commitment in this field of study as well as in practice.
In brief, the article provides and the approaches that are aimed at by the RSNA and hopes to educate the members its members regarding quality administration of radiology and quality practice. It looks not only in the management of radiology but also largely on the quality of patient treatment and the precautions to be taken by radiologists to ensure the safety of patients. The foregoing shows that the article’s main concern is to achieve a healthy application of the radiology technology in human treatment through up to date education of radiologists and its science to minimize the possibility of risk as a consequence of its application on patients in diagnosing and treating.
References
Deitch, H. Chan, C. Sunshine (1994). Quality assessment and improvement: what radiologists do
and think. American Journal of Roentgenology Am J Roentgenol; 163: 1245–1254.
Hattery, R. (2008). President’s address from the Opening Session of RSNA 2006:
Strengthening Professionalism. Radio Graphics; 28: 7–11.
