|
The IAC Standards
and Guidelines |
Click here for a printer-friendly PDF of the Nuclear/PET
Standards |
2.1C Facilities are
required to have a process in place to evaluate the QI measures outlined in
sections 2.1.1C through 2.1.4C.
(See Guidelines below for further recommendations.)
2.1.1C Test Appropriateness:
The facility must evaluate the appropriateness of the test performed and
categorized as:
2.1.1.1C appropriate/usually appropriate;
2.1.1.3C rarely appropriate / usually not appropriate.
(See Guidelines below for further recommendations.)
2.1.2C Technical
Quality Review: To assess and improve the technical quality of the images
and if applicable the safety of procedures being performed. The review must
include, but are is not limited to the evaluation of:
2.1.2.1C the clinical images for clarity of images and/or evaluation
for suboptimal images or artifact;
2.1.2.2C reproducibility
of processed images and/or quantitative results;
2.1.2.3C image
display/labeling;
2.1.2.4C correct
patient preparation, as specified in the clinical written procedures, at the
time of study;
2.1.2.5C verification
of administered radioactive dose to prescribed dose
listed in protocol;
2.1.2.6C completeness
of the study;
2.1.2.7C adherence
to the facility imaging acquisition protocols.
(See Guidelines below for further recommendations.)
2.1.3C Interpretive
Quality Review: The facility must evaluate the quality and accuracy of the
interpretation based on the acquired images. Areas that may be assessed
include but are not limited to:
2.1.3.1C interobserver agreement (peer review);
2.1.3.2C intra-observer
variability;
2.1.3.3C correlation
of interpretation with other diagnostic studies, pathology/surgical results
and/or patient outcomes;
2.1.3.4C correlation
of intended therapeutic effects with patient response to therapy.
(See Guidelines below for further recommendations.)
2.1.4C Final
Report Completeness and Timeliness – The facility must evaluate the
final report for completeness and timeliness as required in the Standards.
2.1C
Administrative Quality – To assess and improve the administrative quality
of the facility’s operation. Areas that may be assessed include, but are
not limited to: scheduling back logs; patient wait times; accuracy of patient
information during scheduling; completeness of documentation; time from
completion of procedure to distribution of final report; patient satisfaction;
referring physician satisfaction
2.1.1C
All other areas of nuclear medicine are encouraged to measure appropriate use
as AUC are published by professional medical organizations.
2.1.2C and
2.1.3C Annual
participation in a relevant inter-facility patient simulator exercise (phantom
program) may be used to fulfill the annual QI requirement for both the
technical and physician performance measurements.