MRI care pathway : supporting a quality management system

Abstract

In any MRI unit, service quality as experienced by patients depends on the design of the care pathway through which the MRI service is delivered (Johnston and Clark 2005; Yazdanparast et al. 2010). Healthcare organisations can create value in terms of improved service quality by developing expertise, reducing errors, increasing efficiency and improving outcomes (Porter and Teisberg 2004). With an ageing population and rising costs, healthcare organisations have adopted quality management systems (QMS) to improve the effectiveness of treatments and increase patient satisfaction with the service. A QMS is a formal process used to review operations, products and services to identify areas of potential quality improvement. It involves a rigorous, iterative process to continually increase the quality and economic value of services. Creating a quality management system requires a strategic decision, input from employees at all levels of an organisation, and is influenced by varying needs, objectives, the products/services provided, the processes employed and the size and structure of the organisation. The purpose of this project was to bring together a multistakeholder, interprofessional expert group to develop further and optimise an MRI care pathway model to support an MRI regional quality management system.