IMPLEMENTING PROTOCOLS TO IMPROVE PATIENT SAFETY IN THE MEDICAL IMAGING DEPARTMENT WITH EMPHASIS ON USE OF GADOLINIUM FOR RENAL FAILURE

Dr. MOHD NIZAMUDDIN; Dr. S. ALTHAF ALI

Volume : VI, Issue : XI, November - 2017

IMPLEMENTING PROTOCOLS TO IMPROVE PATIENT SAFETY IN THE MEDICAL IMAGING DEPARTMENT WITH EMPHASIS ON USE OF GADOLINIUM FOR RENAL FAILURE

Dr. Mohd Nizamuddin, Dr. S. Althaf Ali

Abstract :

Patient safety is a focal point in healthcare because of recent changes issued by CMS. Hospital reimbursement rates have fallen, and these reimbursement rates are governed by CMS mandates regarding patient safety procedures. Reimbursement changes are reflected in the National Patient Safety Goals (NPSGs) administered annually by The Joint Commission. Medical imaging departments have multiple areas of patient safety concerns including effective handoff communication, proper patient identification, and safe medication/contrast administration. This literature review examines those areas of patient safety within the medical imaging department and reveals the need for continued protocol and policy changes to keep patients safe. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of nephrogenic systemic fiosis (NSF) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and moderate–to–severe impairment of kidney function who had not previously been exposed to gadolinium–based contrast agents (GBCAs) or referred to undergo contrast–enhanced MRI with gadobenate dimeglumine or gadoteridol