Saudi Radiologists' and Radiographers' Perceptions of Accreditation Programmes in Clinical Radiology Departments: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract

PurposeThe hospital accreditation programme is an assessment tool that involves a comprehensive evaluation by an external independent accreditation body to ensure consistency in clinical practice by adhering to the established standards and guidelines. The study aims to investigate Radiology professionals’ perceptions of the impact of accreditation and implementation of change towards the quality-of-service delivery in Radiology Departments.MethodsA cross-sectional prospective study was conducted in Saudi Arabia among radiology professionals (ie, radiographers and radiologists) from July to September 2021. After obtaining institutional review board approval from the local ethics committee and using a non-probability convenient sampling technique, 335 participants completed the survey, which was distributed via social media channels, and through professional networks within hospitals across the country.ResultsA total of 335 participants agreed to participate. The study’s participants strongly agreed that the accreditation programmes have positively impacted customer satisfaction and care provided to patients. A significant difference was identified in the level of agreement on the effect of accreditation programmes when hospital types and personnel qualifications were tested (P < 0.05). Radiology personnel who worked in academic hospitals and who had diplomas and PhDs degrees showed a significantly higher level of agreement than other participants (P < 0.05).ConclusionSaudi radiologists and radiographers showed strong agreement or agreement towards hospital accreditation programmes domains’ criteria. The results of the study support the need to bridge the gap between higher-level management and employees in order to facilitate change and enhance the standards of quality and practice in radiology departments. Additional policies are needed to continue and strengthen quality improvement programmes.