| Categories: MRI Accreditation | Author: Resonant Healthcare Imaging Solutions | 0
When your facility receives its MRI accreditation, it is a reason to celebrate. You may even feel relieved, especially after all the hard work that you and your team did during the process. But although MRI accreditation is a huge accomplishment for your facility, maintaining your MRI accreditation requires some ongoing work.
Depending on which accreditation your facility has received, you will be required to take certain mandatory actions to keep your accreditation in good standing. Because your facility will be required to prove compliance with these mandatory actions during its accreditation renewal, it’s important to maintain up-to-date records to show that your facility has met all requirements during the entire three-year accreditation period.
And, don’t forget that your accreditation organization could conduct a site visit at any time, so it helps to keep these records in an easily accessible place. Here are a few things that your MRI facility needs to do to maintain its accreditation:
Because your accreditation organization signed off on your equipment, policies, and procedures, they want to be sure that your facility maintains these standards throughout the accreditation period. Here are some requirements your facility will be expected to follow and their corresponding timeframes:
Weekly
The American College of Radiology (ACR) requires that accredited facilities maintain a weekly quality control program that includes:
Quarterly
The Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) requires facilities to hold quarterly quality improvement (QI) meetings during which they are expected to review:
Annually
ACR requires accredited facilities to conduct an annual MRI safety meeting. IAC requires facilities to conduct an annual policy and procedure review. Both organizations also require annual performance testing, during which you will need to produce your weekly testing records for your physics expert to review.
Ongoing
IAC and ACR expect all facilities holding MRI accreditation to monitor new guidance and standards issued by the organization and make appropriate, timely adjustments to their protocols.
With so much quality control needed between accreditation periods, and MRI consultant / coordinator can help you make sure you have all of your ducks in a row, are maintaining the standards required by your accrediting body, and take those quality control measures to ensure your facility is delivering quality studies on an ongoing basis.
Accreditation organizations typically reserve the right to conduct unannounced site visits of accredited facilities at any time. That is why it never hurts for your facility to be prepared. Records of quality control tests and mandatory actions should be kept in an easily accessible place at your facility.
You also should periodically check in with your staff, stress the importance of these required tests, and work with your physics expert to ensure that your staff members are performing the tests correctly. Your facility should have up-to-date copies of all relevant MRI policies and procedures organized and available for inspection by auditors.
If you need help with your facility’s audit preparedness, an experienced MRI accreditation consultant / coordinator can help you ensure you have everything you need and in order should your accrediting body walk through the door.
Your accreditation organization wants to know that your facility provides high-quality MRI services and is committed to continuous improvement. If your accreditation organization requires your facility to participate in a performance improvement program, you should follow the specific requirements and maintain records of your efforts. If your facility needs help developing, evaluating, or monitoring your MRI performance improvement program, a qualified MRI accreditation consultant / coordinator can assist.
Many facilities are surprised at how quickly time passes during the three-year accreditation period. About eight months prior to accreditation expiration, your accreditation organization will send a renewal notice to your facility. The notice will include information what you must submit to renew your accreditation, including proof that you conducted all required activities during the accreditation period.
If you choose to hire a third-party MRI accreditation consultant / coordinator to assist your facility with the renewal process, the renewal letter will serve as a good reminder to drop them a line. By following all instructions in the letter carefully and meeting the required deadlines, your facility will be well on its way to its next three-years of MRI accreditation.
If you have questions about maintaining or renewing your MRI accreditation or you need help with your quality control, performance improvement or audit readiness programs, the Resonant’s MRI accreditation experts can help. For more information or to speak with a Resonant expert, contact us.
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