title: Global quality imaging: improvement actions.
abstract: Workforce shortage, workload increase, workplace changes, and budget challenges are emerging issues around the world, which could place quality imaging at risk. It is important for imaging stakeholders to collaborate, ensure patient safety, improve the quality of care, and address these issues. There is no single panacea. A range of improvement measures, strategies, and actions are required. Examples of improvement actions supporting the 3 quality measures are described under 5 strategies: conducting research, promoting awareness, providing education and training, strengthening infrastructure, and implementing policies. The challenge is to develop long-term, cost-effective, system-based improvement actions that will bring better outcomes and underpin a sustainable future for quality imaging. In an imaging practice, these actions will result in selecting the right procedure (justification), using the right dose (optimization), and preventing errors along the patient journey. To realize this vision and implement these improvement actions, a range of expertise and adequate resources are required. Stakeholders should collaborate and work together. In today's globalized environment, collaboration is strength and provides synergy to achieve better outcomes and greater success.
authors.affiliation: International Radiology Quality Network, Balwyn, Australia. lawrence.lau@pobox.com
authors.forename: Lawrence S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Maria R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.forename: Kimberly E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Applegate
authors.forename: Madan M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Rehani
authors.forename: Hans G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Ringertz
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: George
mesh_terms: D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000639:trends*; D014943:Global Health; D007391:International Cooperation; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011871:Radiology / Q000458:organization & administration*