Five Roles for Quality Leadership in Radiology

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Over the past decade, academic and private practice radiology groups have created quality leadership committees. The responsibilities of these committees range widely, from proactively improving patient safety and the quality of care to reactively ensuring compliance with the Joint Commission and other regulatory agencies. Yet little is known about what roles these committees should have and how they can optimally improve quality. In this column, we discuss the roles a quality committee should have and present a framework for those wishing to create such a committee. Quality improvement (QI) is best understood as a process supported by structures and technologies rather than an outcome. Neglecting the process can doom quality initiatives [1]. As such, QI efforts should include representatives from all staff members (stakeholders) who touch or influence the process. Each may have a unique perspective to identify and mitigate risks [1]. A multidisciplinary leadership approach can be an effective, and likely necessary, method for introducing QI programs [2-4]. The process of creating a quality program within an organization can be understood through the discipline of change management, which draws from the fields of psychology, sociology, and management. Using the lessons of change management, we build on the concept of multidisciplinary stakeholder involvement to define 5 essential roles for a robust radiology quality program. These 5 roles are key to the success of quality programs because each role addresses important aspects of the QI process and organizational change. Creating a framework of quality roles helps organize the QI process by defining and assigning responsibilities, managing the work, and creating accountability for improvements. Ultimately, this increases the probability that the QI program will realize its goals. Thus, a quality program should consider these roles and explicitly assign them to the stakeholders in the quality program. It is important to understand that these are roles, not individuals. One individual may fill multiple roles, or conversely, one role may be shared across individuals, depending on the quality program, scope, and circumstances. However, if any role were ignored, it would handicap the program.