RAIT 495 - Radiation & Imaging Sciences Special Topics

1-5 CR

Presents advanced or specialized topics in the field of Radiation & Imaging Sciences. Topics focus on new and emerging trends. Examples include new technology, techniques, clinical research, etc. Specific topics are announced in the quarterly schedule.

Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor.

Course Outcomes
• Discuss the relationship between healthcare institutional quality management and organizational performance standards in the context of diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy departments. • Debate the trends in quality management as they relate to the provision and reimbursement of healthcare services. • Examine the process of standards and outcome development. Apply strategies and tools to support data collection and analysis, and compare and contrast key elements of instrumental quality control and institutional quality assurance. • Discuss principles and applications of instrument quality control, including acceptance testing, benchmarking, longitudinal evaluation, action levels, etc. with specific tools and strategies to control errors or error processes. • Present strategies to establish and maintain a quality environment, including patient satisfaction, outcomes assessment, and procedural performance evaluation. • Evaluate and illustrate the use of a systems approach to quality management using a diagnostic imaging or radiation therapy department in a hospital as an example. Analyze the role of the various healthcare providers, vendors and customers in quality management. • Apply strategies and tools to measure and monitor outcomes, including statistical management tools, in diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy organizations. • Synthesize the regulations that apply to hospital and departmental accreditation, diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy departments, and stand-alone imaging centers, and the impact of compliance and non-compliance. • Assess the role and importance of JCAHO and external accrediting bodies in the evaluation of departmental/institutional excellence. • Outline key steps in preparing for hospital and departmental accreditation including self-study and site visit. Identify the steps needed to prepare for a site visit in healthcare and diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy organizations. • Analyze theories and mechanisms used for workplace performance improvement such as TQM, Six Sigma, PDCA and Lean, and evaluate their applicability to hospitals in general and to diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy departments in particular. • Develop a quality management program and a plan for its implementation in an area of the student’s specialty.

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