Since 2005, RadSite has been assessing the quality and performance of imaging systems at more than 25,000 provider locations. During that time, a few central themes have emerged. One is the need for effective leadership. Everyone can agree that true leadership creates a direct pathway to better patient care. But the devil is often in the details.
This is why the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) emphasizes clinical leadership as a key part of any advanced diagnostic imaging (ADI) practice. (Such practices must be accredited to receive reimbursement for Medicare patient care.) The MIPPA (Medicare Improvements Patients and Protections Act) standards required by CMS detail the required qualifications and roles of both physicians and non-physicians who provide “the technical component” of ADI services.
RadSite addresses that requirement. RadSite helps ADI imaging providers to develop and implement a medical practice with qualified professionals. Our comprehensive roadmap lays out clear baseline requirements that promote effective and safe imaging workflows. For example, to meet RadSite standards, the imaging provider must hire and effectively use the following staff: Medical Director, Interpreting Physician, Medical Imaging Technologist, Medical Physicist, and Radiation Safety Officer – among other personnel. RadSite standards also require proper documentation through written policies, job descriptions, and established reporting functions to promote quality and reduce risk.
The same concept applies to how an effective accreditation organization (AO) is run. For example, RadSite benefits from the guidance of radiology and accreditation experts in the field. In terms of RadSite’s internal leadership, our team of imaging experts contributes regularly to furthering knowledge in the industry:
- Garry Carneal, JD, President and CEO
- Mark Casner, MBA, Chair, Accreditation Committee
- Eliot Siegel, MD, Chair, Standards Committee
- Bruce Reiner, MD, Chief Medical Officer
- Phillip Patton, PhD, CHP, DABR, DABSNM, Chief Physicist Officer
In addition to its senior staff leadership, RadSite benefits from several dozen experts who participate on its Board, Standards Committee, and Accreditation Committee. These professionals ensure that RadSite walks the walk in terms of how it carries out the business of accreditation and helps ensure the consistency of the RadSite review process.
When new standards are drafted, the RadSite Standards Committee meets regularly to peer-review the entire process. When applications go through the RadSite Accreditation Committee, a structured process is followed to ensure consistency and fairness. And of course, RadSite documents all of these workflows ].
Effective leadership should be a core value of all healthcare organizations, including imaging providers and accreditation organizations. Contact us if you want to learn more about RadSite’s MIPPA Accreditation Program, including its leadership standards.