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Accreditation-Related Resources

A flowchart of the accreditation application, review and approval process can be viewed and downloaded here. To help you further organize a successful accreditation, see these tips and tricks supplied by an experienced accreditation professional.

Below are additional resources for the following modalities:

CMS Resources

In addition, under the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA), CMS requires accreditation for all non-hospital providers of advanced diagnostic imaging (Nuclear Medicine, MRI, CT and PET). Pertinent information from the CMS can be found here.

Telling the world you’re operating under the gold standard

Upon award of your accreditation, you will receive a Gold Seal for display in your facility. You will also gain access to a full suite of marketing materials easily adaptable for use in your local media. They’re a great way to not only inform your community, but also to recognize your staff.

Below are some recent examples of how facilities used the materials.

Sarasota Memorial Breast Health Center

Health Images

Raulerson Hospital

Validation Site Survey

To validate compliance with accreditation criteria, unannounced site visits to MIPPA facilities —in person or virtual—will be performed. These facilities are encouraged to use the following documents in preparation for a visit.

Make sure all personnel, including supervising physician and facility administrator, are updated and correct in the online accreditation system. Items often not found during surveys are:

— Policies for primary source verification, verifying that personnel are not included on the Office of Inspector General exclusion list (MIPPA sites only)
— Consumer complaint notice that gives patient contact information for the ACR
— Documentation of initial qualifications, continued education and continued experience for the interpreting physician and medical physicist. Self-documentation is not acceptable.

Submit questions about validation site surveys to vss@acr.org.

MEDICAL PHYSICISTS RESOURCES

Manuals, Personnel Requirements and More

One of the many aspects of accreditation review includes evaluation of quality control requirements. The Medical Physics Resources page on acr.org has guidance documents, accreditation personnel requirements, quality control manuals, technical standards and more.

Resources specific to ACR’s DM QC Manual can be found on the manual’s dedicated resources page, including FAQs, phantom scoring key, QC spreadsheets, and more.

PATIENT RESOURCES

Understanding what’s in store for you as a patient

Your doctor has ordered your upcoming tests to get the best understanding of your condition, your body, what’s going on with you, all to help them provide the best possible treatment. They rely on the radiologists and technologists at ACR-accredited facilities to deliver exactly that, so while you can rest assured you’re in good hands, you may still have many questions about your procedures—what to expect, how to prepare. We urge you to visit radiologyinfo.org for the answers.

Curious who will perform your exam? Learn more about medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals from ASRT.

Also, a robust and helpful site called Mammography Saves Lives was created specifically to support breast cancer awareness. You’ll find a wealth of information there; you just might want to share the site with loved ones as well.

Your rights. While ACR-accredited facilities have achieved a standard of excellence within the care field, no one is perfect. As a patient, you have the right to submit any concerns about your treatment, your safety, the quality of your care. Indeed, we encourage our facilities to prominently display this plaque on their premises as a recognition of your rights.

In most cases, if you have a problem, speaking directly to the facility results in a satisfactory outcome. But if that’s not the case and you would like to make the accrediting body aware of your situation, you can submit a complaint online.