Warrington, PA – Sept. 18, 2013 – Podiatrists who own in-office cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging equipment now have a pathway to demonstrate their commitment to quality and acquire accreditation through the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC).
IAC CT accreditation ensures quality patient care, as participating facilities assess and document every aspect of their use of CBCT technology. Accreditation is often required to comply with insurers' payment policies. As of Jan. 1, 2012, the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) requires all non-hospital providers of advanced diagnostic imaging (inclusive of CT) to be accredited as a condition for reimbursement.
IAC published updated CT accreditation standards this July. The new standards expand the definition of the Medical Director role to include licensed physicians certified by the American Board of Podiatric Medicine or the American Board of Podiatric Surgery in a relevant specialty, or board certified in a relevant specialty recognized by the American Osteopathic Association, the American Podiatric Medical Association, or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or Le College des Medicine du Quebec. Podiatrists who satisfy the training and experience guidelines outlined within the standards are now qualified to operate in-office CBCT devices, in line with IAC CT accreditation standards.
In addition, the standards allow newly credentialed ARRT technologists to operate a CBCT device in a podiatrist's office. Technologists qualify if they possess a nationally recognized credential in another medical imaging field such as ARRT (R), that includes radiation safety training, and have received a minimum of four hours of documented, specified training on the operation of the scanner.
The new standards benefit podiatric practices which have integrated the pedCAT, the first true weight bearing CBCT scanner designed specifically for the foot and ankle. The pedCAT is manufactured by CurveBeam, a Warrington, Penn. based manufacturer.
"As formal accreditation gradually becomes an essential component of reimbursement for advanced imaging, CurveBeam would like to commend the IAC for facilitating a more effective & streamlined accreditation path for the Foot & Ankle specialty," said CurveBeam president and CEO Arun Singh. "We are also committed to providing all applicable data, training and support to our customers towards satisfying accreditation requirements comprehensively."
Participating facilities utilize an online application to apply for accreditation and document their adherence to the IAC CT standards. A comprehensive review of each submitted application is evaluated by the Board of Directors who renders an accreditation decision (grant accreditation, delay accreditation or required site visit). Upon being granted accreditation for three years, facilities have access to many tools for use in promoting their accreditation status to referring physicians, insurers and their patients.
According to Mary T. Lally, MS, RT(R)(MR), IAC Deputy CEO/Director of IAC CT Accreditation, "The Board of Directors gave great consideration to the expanded pathway which enables the staff of podiatry offices utilizing in-office CBCT scanners to be eligible to apply for accreditation. We are pleased that this pathway is now available to the specialty and look forward to working with the podiatry community as they demonstrate their commitment to quality patient care through accreditation."
For more information on IAC CT accreditation visit their website http://www.intersocietal.org/ct/.
For more information on the CurveBeam pedCAT, visit www.curvebeam.com.
About the pedCAT System
The pedCAT system provides true weight-bearing, 3D CT imaging of the foot & ankle region. With a 4' x 5' footprint, the pedCAT is compact office solution for CT imaging. This device can scan a single foot or both feet in less than a minute at minimal levels of radiation.
About CurveBeam, LLC
CurveBeam is headquartered in Warrington, Penn. The company was formed in 2009 with the goal of providing cutting edge Cone Beam CT capabilities to the Orthopedic and Podiatry specialties at a fraction of the price of traditional CT equipment.
The team behind CurveBeam pioneered 3D Cone Beam imaging technology for dental specialties, revolutionizing dental implants, orthodontics and oral surgery. Today, 3D scans are virtually the standard of care prior to advanced treatment planning or surgery, resulting in improved treatment successes.
For more information, visit www.CurveBeam.com or e-mail info@curvebeam.com.