Healthcare
administrators today are concerned with providing quality care in a safe
environment.
Patient feedback is an important aspect of implementing and monitoring
health initiatives that are tracked in health facilities. Patient safety rates,
infection rates, drug reactions, etc. are to name a few initiatives that are
monitored with corresponding action plans to prevent infections and
readmissions.
The Affordable Care Act will change the arena of hospitals
regarding issues such as reimbursement rates, in how physicians will order
tests, etc.
In
addition, in an effort to stay competitive, administrators need to evaluate the
benefits versus the costs of purchasing new medical technologies, as patients
are researching and requesting them. Diagnostic Imaging departments have been
transformed over the past decade, due to recent advancements, such as magnetic
particle imaging, information technology systems, new digital imaging systems,
etc.
Wireless
and mobile radiology systems allow physicians more freedom and the ability to
treat patients at their bedside, in rural areas, etc. Remote viewing systems
have allowed multiple physicians, who are in multiple locations to
simultaneously access and consult on a patient. The Cloud or web-based systems
are used to access images outside the hospital’s system.
With
reimbursements decreasing, administrators are looking for ways to improve the
work flow in radiology departments by incorporating more automation and ergonomically
designed equipment, while working on a fixed budget. This can be very
challenging. Patient safety comes first.
By Brenda Rice, Program Manager RSA
No comments:
Post a Comment