The Joint Commission’s Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Standards
April 29, 2014
12:00 – 1:30 pm CST
Program Description:
The new Joint Commission standards for MRI safety will be effective July 1, 2014. The American College of Radiology (ACR)
MRI guidelines were updated in 2013. There are many potential risks in the Magnetic Resonance (MR) environment, not only
for patients but for health care staff, some even resulting in death. Learn how to have a safe environment in the MRI suite.
Program Topics:
 Why staff need to be aware of MRI risk issues
 Education and training of hospital staff
 2013 ACR Guidance Document MR safe practices
 The Joint Commission sentinel event alert and recommendations
 TJC standard HR.01.05.03: staff must participate in ongoing education
 TJC EC standard
 MRI screening procedure for patients
 American College of Radiology standards and documents including ACR white paper on MR safety
 Checklist for safety in the MRI suite
 Devices that trigger safety questions (pacers, pacing wires, shunts, tattoos and permanent makeup, regular makeup, etc)
 New pacemakers that are MR safe
 What’s new in MRI hazards (sand bags, electrode cables, tattoos, etc.)
 MR facility safety design guidelines and zones
 Contrast agent safety
 Safety instructions for patients
 Policies and procedures
 MR facility emergency preparedness guidelines
 National Quality Forum (NQF) 29 serious reportable event and MRI
 Recommendations
 Organizations and Resources; Institute for Magnetic Resonance Safety, US Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Patient
Safety News, MRI.safety.com, American Society for Testing & Materials (ASTM), American Journal of Roentgenology
(AJF), Patient Safety Advisory, General Electric (GE) Healthcare, etc.
Objectives:
At the completion of this program, the participants will be able to:
1. State that The Joint Commission has issued a sentinel event alert on preventing accidents and injuries in the MRI
suite
2. Discuss recommendations to improve MRI safety
3. Recall that the American College of Radiology has a 2013 document for safe MR practice
Who Should Attend:
CEO, COO, CMO, CNO, Radiology Staff, MRI Techs Environmental Services Director, Radiology Leadership, The Joint
Commission Coordinators, Quality Improvement Directors, Risk Managers, Safety Officers and Compliance Officers
Faculty:
Sue Dill Calloway, RN, CPHRM, MSN, JD
Medical-Legal Consultant, Dublin, OH
Sue Dill Calloway has been a nurse attorney and consultant for more than 30 years. Currently, she is President of Patient
Safety and Healthcare Education and Consulting and previously the Chief Learning Officer for the Emergency Medicine
Patient Safety Foundation. Prior to her current role, she was the Director of Hospital Patient Safety for The Doctors’
Company and OHIC Insurance Company. She has conducted many educational programs for nurses, physicians and other
healthcare providers. Calloway has authored over 100 books and numerous articles. She is a frequent speaker and is well
known across the country in the area of healthcare law, risk management and patient safety.