ACR joins Choosing Wisely campaign

The American College of Radiology (ACR) has joined the ABIM Foundation and eight other medical specialty societies in the Choosing Wisely campaign. Choosing Wisely promotes wise choices by physicians and patients to improve health outcomes, avoid unnecessary interventions and make efficient use of healthcare dollars.

The ACR will develop a list of five practices to reduce unnecessary imaging exams ordered by physicians and improve quality of care. The list will name imaging exams whose necessity should be discussed before being ordered.

“Medical imaging exams are a perfect fit for Choosing Wisely,” said John A. Patti, MD, chair of the ACR Board of Chancellors. "Scans lower healthcare costs by replacing more invasive surgeries and allowing for shorter hospital stays. As greater access to imaging is directly tied to increased life expectancy, ACR will identify areas where care can be improved without restricting patient access."

The ACR list, and those of other Choosing Wisely partners, will be released in April 2012.

To learn more, click here

Around the web

GE HealthCare designed the new-look Revolution Vibe CT scanner to help hospitals and health systems embrace CCTA and improve overall efficiency.

Clinicians have been using HeartSee to diagnose and treat coronary artery disease since the technology first debuted back in 2018. These latest updates, set to roll out to existing users, are designed to improve diagnostic performance and user access.

The cardiac technologies clinicians use for CVD evaluations have changed significantly in recent years, according to a new analysis of CMS data. While some modalities are on the rise, others are being utilized much less than ever before.