Commentary: Masters of Radiology Panel Discussion—How Do We Maintain Control Over Imaging?

Abstract

AJR:201, July 2013 and reasonable turnaround time. We also need to see hospitals as legitimate customers and maintain good relations with them. Occasionally we see groups in conflict with their hospitals. This is not a recipe for long-term success. A battle with a large customer base is an unenviable position for any enterprise. Like any other business, if we want to prosper, we need to provide value to our customers. Our patients’ and referring clinicians’ experience is increasingly dependent on how well we function as a team. Excellent individual performance is only part of the equation. Patients experience us as organized groups of professionals; we need to act competently as organizations, not just as individuals. That means we need to consistently get the details right—even minor reporting errors. It is the details that make us professionals. The rock group Van Halen famously had a rider in its touring contract demanding that there be a bowl of M&Ms in the dressing room with all of the brown ones removed. They used this as a quick, and rather accurate, test. They knew that if a venue operator didn’t pay attention to these small details, large, very important details were also likely to be missed—such as ensuring that the girders would support the heavy weight requirements for their equipment. In short, I believe that the best way to maintain control of imaging is to consistently do it very well. Beauchamp: How do we maintain control over imaging? We must continue to earn it by showing that we are the best stewards of imaging. First, and foremost, is to put the patients first. Quality, safety, and service are absolutely the key. We need to advocate for the patient by making sure that we constrain the use of imaging where it does not add value to care and foster the use of imaging only when it does. We cannot simply state that we are excellent, we must have measures of quality, safety, and service that we continuCommentary: Masters of Radiology Panel Discussion—How Do We Maintain Control Over Imaging?