Breast MRI Receives Accreditation
Breast MRI at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center just received accreditation from the
American College of Radiology - a milestone in this region.
"We are among the first sites in the Boston area to receive Breast MRI accreditation," says Steve Flaherty, Clinical Manager, MRI. "For us, this accreditation is a testament to our high quality imaging and technical standards. It's also great way to ensure consistency and accuracy in our breast exams."
To earn this status, BIDMC had to meet or exceed the ACR's requirements in personnel qualifications, equipment performance testing, quality control measures and quality assurance.
The process has been voluntary in the past; however, Flaherty says the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) now requires ACR accreditation as a condition of payment for advanced imaging services. The accreditation lasts for three years, but the ACR can arrive unannounced at any time to conduct quality audits.
"To be accredited, our staff have obtained advanced registry in their imaging modalities," says Flaherty. "That gives our patients peace of mind that the technologists performing their tests are highly qualified to do so."
Learn more about
Breast Cancer and the BreastCare Center at BIDMC »
March 2012