Background/introduction
As it happens in many developing countries,
there is not full awareness of medical radiation hazards.
The trend towards a better comprehension of radioprotection (RP) in health care,
especially after the Bonn call for action,
encouraged some hospitals to better address this issue.
Following the Eurosafe Imaging recommendations,
several actions were taken to improve quality and safety in our Hospital.
The implementation of an internal audit program on RP is a key factor to maintain a safe environment in which activities with ionizing radiation are...
Description of activity and work performed
Profile of the institution
Each year,
the Hospital attends 2,800,000 consultations,
manages 46,500 discharges and performs 52,000 surgical procedures in its 41 operating theaters.
It has a capacity of 785 beds,
of which 200 are for critical care,
and 800 beds of home medicine.
Its work team is made up of 9237 people: 3400 medical doctors,
3337 members of the health staff and 2,500 people from the administrative sectors.
As for the assistance it provides,
the Italian Hospital has more than 40 medical specialties,
a...
Conclusion and recommendations
The internal radiology audit program has improved compliance with the eurosafe recommendations.
Its implementation made it possible to detect deviations and indicators that allow us to maintain a safety environment.
As a recommendation do not over-commit to unnecessary requirements and audit to what you are committed.
An engagement of each head of area who are ultimately responsible for how things are done in their areas of the radiology department is essential.
Keep them informed of changes to the radiation safety program as well as problems...
Personal/organisational information
M.
Ulla: chief quality officer of the Imaging department of Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires,
coordinating activities of the audit team in the radiology department.
D.
A.
Dafouz: resident,
of the Imaging department of Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires
D.
E.
Andisco: medical physicist.
Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires
S.
A.
Blanco: medical physicist.
Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires activities
R.
D.
García-Mónaco: Head of the Imaging Department,
Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires
References
1.- Ross P,
Hubert J,
Saunders M,
Wong WL.
The importance of a supportive environment in clinical audit: a pilot study of doctors’ engagement with the NHS National PET-CT audit programme.
Nuclear Medicine Communications 2014 35:1052.
2.- Barwell R.
(ed.) New Principles of Best Practice in Clinical Audit.
London: Radcliff Publishing; 2011.
3.- Firth-Cozens J.
Cultures for improving patient safety through learning: the role of teamwork,
Quality in Health Care.
2001; 10: 26-31
4.-International Atomic Energy Agency.
Comprehensive clinical audits of diagnosticradiology practices: a tool...