A nearly yearlong effort has resulted in Tomah Health awarded a three-year accreditation in computed tomography (CT) by the American College of Radiology (ACR).
“This is a major goal for the hospital,” said Imaging Director Jessica Kennedy, BS, R.T. (R) (ARRT). “When you see the gold seal of accreditation displayed in our imaging facility, patients can be sure that they are in a facility that meets standards for imaging quality and safety,” Kennedy said.
CT scanning — sometimes called CAT scanning — is a noninvasive medical test that helps physicians diagnose and tailor treatments for various medical conditions.
To achieve the ACR Gold Standard of Accreditation, Tomah Health personnel qualifications, equipment requirements, quality assurance and quality control procedures went through a rigorous review process and met specific qualifications. “The accreditation process itself involved submission of phantom and clinical images, dose measurements and scanning protocols to experts for peer review,” said Imaging Coordinator Kimberly Cramblit, MHA, R.T. (R) (M) (ARRT). “We also implemented additional daily and monthly checklists for a more robust quality control program.”
Founded in 1924, ACR is a professional medical society dedicated to serving patients and society by empowering radiology professionals to advance the practice, science and professions of radiological care. The college serves more than 37,000 diagnostic/interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, nuclear medicine physicians, and medical physicists with programs focusing on the practice of medical imaging and radiation oncology and the delivery of comprehensive health care services.
Both Kennedy and Cramblit said the ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety. “It’s really important for patients to know that every aspect of the ACR accreditation process is overseen by board-certified, expert contracted radiologists and medical physicists in advanced diagnostic imaging,” Kennedy said. “We have a great team of physicists, radiologists and technologists who put quality at the forefront of patient care,” Cramblit added.
The CT accreditation is just the first step in additional validation steps underway at Tomah Health. Kennedy said officials are also working on accreditation of the department’s magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suite and ultrasound, which should be completed later this year.
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