To Accredit or Not to Accredit?: Accreditation Soon May Be Required for In-Office CT Scanners: Part 2 of 3

Mary T. Lally, RT(R), Technical Manager for ICACTL, concurred. In the otolaryngology community, we find that due to the use of the mini-CT scanners, the ENT physicians typically only scan sinus and temporal bones, she said. The ICACTL accreditation program offers a pathway for the ENT physician to both perform and interpret their scans, providing they meet the criteria outlined in the standards. All CT scanners, whether they are full-body or volume/cone beam units, must meet the same quality assurance [QA] criteria. Also, all laboratories that apply for ICACTL accreditation must have a comprehensive QA program that includes both technical and interpretive quality assessment.

Reimbursement Reasons Only?

Whatever the path to in-office CT scanning-full body or mini-CT-accreditation is now becoming de rigueur for UnitedHealthcare providers and other practices.

Ms. Wilcox noted, I think that accreditation, whether it’s through the ACR or through the IAC, is an important assessment. They are both peer-review programs, but the whole self-assessment process that goes on in preparing for accreditation can be very enlightening about areas where quality is less than optimal. [Accreditation] is all about quality patient care. It’s a way for ENTs to demonstrate that they’re committed to providing good quality imaging, not just the direct patient care that they are already obviously dedicated to delivering.

Reference

1. 1. Campbell, EG, Regan, S, Gruen, RL, et al. Professionalism in medicine: results of a national survey of physicians. Ann Int Med 2007;147(11):795-802.
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