A Sentinel Event Alert (pdf) by The Joint Commission warns healthcare organizations of the risk to patients of repeated diagnostic radiation doses and provides several tips for minimizing this risk.
Radiology
A government report showed that, for the second consecutive year, outpatients at Minnesota hospitals were more likely than hospitals in other U.S. states to undergo MRIs for low-back pain without first trying recommended and less costly treatments, according to Pioneer…
The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, part of The Methodist Hospital System in Houston, is working with Philips Healthcare to develop imaging technology that can study infectious diseases, according to a hospital system news release.
Mercy Hospital in Buffalo, N.Y., plans to invest nearly $2 million in imaging upgrades, according to a Buffalo Business First report.
While some hospitals have started offering discounted CT scans for smokers, some experts question whether hospitals' marketing efforts may cause them to deemphasize the costs and risks of the scans, according to a Kaiser Health News report.
Brentwood, Tenn.-based TriStar Health System has entered a five-year contract with Radiology Alliance, making it the system's exclusive provider, according to a Tennessean report.
For hospitals and health systems, earning breast imaging accreditation is no cake walk. The American College of Radiology designates a breast imaging center of excellence on several factors. The centers must pass rigorous, though voluntary, breast imaging accreditation programs and…
Study: Wisconsin's Gundersen Lutheran Reduced Radiation Dose Through CT Acquisition Protocol Changes
An article published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology described how La Crosse, Wis.-based Gundersen Lutheran Health System successfully used a comprehensive CT radiation dose reduction program, according to a news release.
UHS Binghamton (N.Y.) General Hospital will open its newly remodeled advanced imaging center, according to a hospital news release.
The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, N.J., has brought its portable CT scanner into the operating room for use in neurosurgery, according to a hospital news release.