Quality assurance
and Quality control
in medical
radiography
Topic 2
• Departmental standards for
radiographic image quality
• QA/QC group establishment
• Quality Management
Objectives
Diagnostic procedure
chain
“Quality assurance as applied to
medical radiography is the organized
effort of the staff to ensure that the
diagnostic images produced are of high
quality. Its purpose is to provide
adequate diagnostic information with
the least possible cost and the least
possible radiation exposure to the
patient and staff”
“Quality assurance as applied to
medical radiography is the organized
effort of the staff to ensure that the
diagnostic images produced are of high
quality. Its purpose is to provide
adequate diagnostic information with
the least possible cost and the least
possible radiation exposure to the
patient and staff”
“Quality assurance as applied to
medical radiography is the organized
effort of the staff to ensure that the
diagnostic images produced are of high
quality. Its purpose is to provide
adequate diagnostic information with
the least possible cost and the least
possible radiation exposure to the
patient and staff”
“Quality assurance as applied to
medical radiography is the organized
effort of the staff to ensure that the
diagnostic images produced are of high
quality. Its purpose is to provide
adequate diagnostic information with
the least possible cost and the least
possible radiation exposure to the
patient and staff”
“Quality assurance as applied to
medical radiography is the organized
effort of the staff to ensure that the
diagnostic images produced are of high
quality. Its purpose is to provide
adequate diagnostic information with
the least possible cost and the least
possible radiation exposure to the
patient and staff”
• It requires the combined
efforts of the whole radiology
staff.
• A hospital qa/qc committee
and a qa/qc team must be
created to institutionalize the
program.
Requirements of a
QA/QC program
i. Hospital chief radiologist- head of the
x-ray section/department
ii. Chief x-ray/radiologic technologist
iii. Hospital physicist
iv. Other radiologists and radiology
resident physicians
v. Other x-ray/radiologic technologist
Hospital QA/QC team
i. Chief of hospital
ii. Administrative officer
iii. Chief radiologist
iv. Chief x-ray/radiologic technologist
v. Chief physicist
vi. Hospital maintenance engineer/technician
vii. Others
Hospital QA/QC
committee
Responsibilities
of these groups
are as follows:
I. Do periodic film analysis and monthly film
analysis report to the QA/QC committee
II. Establish additional radiographic technique
charts when needed, or revise existing
technique charts when appropriate.
III. Establish additional darkroom processing
charts or revise existing ones when
necessary
Hospital QA/QC team
IV. Do periodic quality control test of x-ray
equipment, accessories, and darkroom
equipment and accessories
V. Keep a room logbook which contains all the test
data on equipment, accessories and all the
changes/repairs done to all
equipment/accessories in the room, sample
images, procedures for QC tests, etc.
VI. Keep all brochures and technical manuals
pertaining to equipment and accessories.
I. Meet regularly to discuss film analysis
report, QC test results, other reports and
problems of the x-ray department/section.
II. Decide on corrective action to be
implemented and on other matters related
to the program
III. Keep a record of minutes of meetings.
Hospital QA/QC
committee
In planning and
establishing a QA/QC
program
the following should be
considered
In medical radiography
A. Commitment and support of
radiology personnel to sustain the
program
B. Establishment of standards of image
quality
C. Conduct of film analysis every month
D. Establishment of standard darkroom
techniques and conduct darkroom
QC checks
E. Conduct of preventive maintenance
and quality control checks
F. Establishment of standard protocols in
performing different examination
G.Establishment of a radiation safety
program
H. Conduct of continuous education and
training
The purpose of
A QC testing
program
• Is to maintain the quality of diagnostic
images.
• This is done with routine monitoring of
photographic and x-ray equipment
parameters to detect deviations of
equipment performance and take prompt
corrective action.
The purpose of a QC
testing program
• QC test equipment
• Equipment acceptance testing
• QC testing program
• X-ray equipment QC
• Photographic equipment QC
QC test
• A program of QA monitors proper patient
scheduling, reception, and preparation and
answers the following questions;
• Is the scheduled examination appropriate for
the patient?
• If so, has the patient been properly instructed
before the time of the examination?
Quality assurance
deals with people
• Equipment performance records and record
keeping
• Equipment appraisal and replacement policy
• Standardization of exposure
• Acceptance criteria for diagnostic radiograms
• Reject-repeat analysis program
QA test
• Refer to TJC 10 step quality
assurance program
• Quality control deals with
instrumentation and equipment.
QA also involves image interpretation
or outcome analysis.
Quality control is more tangible and
obvious because in this program the
radiologist is provided with optimal image
produced through good equipment
performance and resulting in minimal
patient radiation exposure.
Quality
management
program
• It should consist of at least the FF.
Components:
•
•
•
•
Equipment quality control
Administrative responsibilities
Risk management
Radiation safety program
Components for quality
management program
• It
involves
evaluation
of
equipment
performance
to
ensure proper image quality, as
well as patient and operator
safety.
Equipment quality
control
• It involves the establishment of various
processes to accomplish the specific
departmental task.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Procedure manuals
Data collections
Scheduling and routing of patients
Education of personnel
Equipment acquisition
Communication with other department
Administrative responsibilities
• It is the ability to identify potential
risk to patients, employees and
visitors at the healthcare institution.
• Nosocomial infections
Risk management
• It is to ensure patient exposure is kept
as low as reasonably achievable
(ALARA), medical staff, dept.
Personnel, and member of the general
public are protected from
overexposure to ionizing radiation.
Radiation safety
program
• Personnel protection
• Time
• Distance
• Shielding
Other Quality
Management/
Quality Improvement
Models
• FADE
• 5 STAGE PLAN
• SWOT analysis
• FOCUS-PDCA
• FMEA
End