Pa. CT radiation dose initiative pays off

An initiative by nonprofit technology research firm ECRI Institute and the Health Care Improvement Foundation to improve CT radiation safety in the Philadelphia region is yielding significant results.

A confidential survey by the organizations found that participating facilities achieved actual dose reductions of 47%, an 87% improvement in tracking of CT radiation doses for each study, a 64% gain in having an action plan in place for managing excessive CT radiation when it occurs, and a 55% increase in auditing of CT doses.

Nearly 20 hospitals and imaging centers in the Philadelphia area participated in the one-year Partnership for Patient Care program launched by the Health Care Improvement Foundation and led by ECRI Institute from July 2011 to June 2012.

The overarching goals of the program are to make diagnostic CT scan radiation doses as low as reasonably achievable and to encourage the participating facilities to actively record and monitor CT doses, according to the ECRI and the Health Care Improvement Foundation.