How Can Radiologists and Hospitals Together Create the Future of Health Care in America?

Newswise — To be published online Monday, April 1, the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology will focus on a variety of issues relating to clinical practice, practice management, health services and policy, and radiology education and training. Topics to be covered include health care delivery reform; incidental findings; the promotion of radiology practice guidelines; the applicability of Cardiac CT Angiography appropriateness criteria; and dashboard technology.

Articles include:

A Hospital CEO’s Perspective: Radiology Should Lead the Way in Reforming Health Care DeliveryMichael A. Franklin, B.S.H.S., M.S.H.A., R.T. (R)(T) Building on effective care delivery designs, such as the state-of-the-art imaging systems and processes in mammography, radiologists and hospitals together can create the future image of health care in America.

Professional Norms Regarding How Radiologists Handle Incidental FindingsStephen D. Brown, M.D.In a culture in which patient autonomy is valued, standards are inconsistent and malpractice fears abound, little room exists for individual physicians to decide unilaterally whether reporting or disclosing incidental findings will result in better or worse decisions for any given patient.

From Guidelines to Practice: How Reporting Templates Promote the Use of Radiology Practice GuidelinesCharles E. Kahn, M.D., M.S., Marta E. Heilbrun, M.D., M.S., Kimberly E. Applegate, M.D., M.S. Radiology reporting templates can incorporate practice guidelines to improve the quality and safety of clinical practice and to support evidence-based radiology.

Comparison of the Applicability of the 2006 and the 2010 Cardiac CT Angiography Appropriateness CriteriaEthany L. Cullen, M.D., Shivani R. Aggarwal, M.B.B.S., Brian C. Goss, M.D., David O. Hodge, M.S., Raymond J. Gibbons, M.D., Philip A. Araoz, M.D.Comparing the 2006 and 2010 cardiac CT angiography appropriateness criteria, the not classifiable rate has decreased to an acceptable level, but the interobserver variability, although improved, remains concerning.

Utilization of Dashboard Technology in Academic Radiology Departments: Results of a National Survey Bahar Mansoori, M.D., Ronald D. Novak, Ph.D., M.P.A., M.P.H., Carlos J. Sivit, M.D., Pablo R. Ros, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D. The results of this study may allow academic radiology departments to view dashboard indices used by similar departments and provide a menu of possible choices of metrics to include in their own dashboards in the future. For additional information, or to schedule an interview with a JACR spokesperson, please contact Heather Curry at 703-390-9822 or [email protected].