title: Process improvement: what is it, why is it important, and how is it done?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to provide enough information so beginners can feel comfortable starting and completing a simple radiology process improvement project.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medical practices (including radiology departments) need to address outstanding quality and safety issues that threaten their patients. Addressing these issues improves patient care and operational efficiency. We provide a review of our approach to process improvement and the established improvement methods. Many organizations and companies are available to support medical practices as they enter this field.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ 85259, USA.
authors.forename: C Daniel
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: Kenneth T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Aakre
authors.forename: Catherine C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Maitray D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Karl N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Krecke
mesh_terms: D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D015279:Organizational Culture; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011872:Radiology Department, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D014481:United States