The field of radiology is currently facing criticism, mostly because of over-utilization, over- radiation and exorbitant prices. What is not evident is that radiology is actually used in lieu of more expensive, invasive and possibly riskier procedures, such as surgery.
At Jackson Memorial Hospital, our radiology department is comprised of different levels of cutting-edge technology, including our Dual Source 128 Slice CT scanner and our digital radiology rooms in the emergency and trauma areas. We work in connection with highly skilled physicians from the University of Miami Miller School Of Medicine, and our priority is to provide the best possible imaging exams to all of our patients, some of whom are sent to us by other hospitals because of their condition.
Despite new regulations by various agencies, radiology has an exceptional opportunity to show its worth. Quality has become its foundation, since the Institute of Medicine report in 2001, which proposed fundamental changes to the health care system in the United States. It has been proven countless times that quality equals appropriate care, which equals the Holy Grail of medicine: patient safety and a high level of standard of care. Once these factors are successfully met, financial sustainability results.
One of the first initiatives implemented when I began at Jackson Health System was Picture Archiving Communication System – PACS, a web-based solution that allows all users to log on from anywhere to access their patients’ images. Another initiative currently being implemented is voice recognition. Decision Support Software is expected to also dramatically decrease the chances of over-utilization.
As an academic medical center, Jackson is very committed to our resident physicians and fellows. Our goal is that by their graduation, they will be well-versed in ordering radiological exams, while always being sensitive to the balance between utilization and necessity.
Working together with our union partners, we have introduced productivity standards. These have enabled the department of radiology to increase volumes safely without the need for additional personnel that could burden our already financially challenged organization. The success of this initiative came from performing a workflow process analysis and redesign by which we compare our department to best practices of similar originations in size and service diversity.
Radiology is experiencing similar concerns as the rest of the healthcare industry. Our goal is to consistently deliver an excellent standard of care in the most efficient patient-centric environment possible. When radiology is managed properly, under the auspices of the various accrediting bodies, it has proven to be safer and more cost-efficient than more invasive services.
