Professional and Regulatory Collaborations to Ensure Competency

Abstract

To maximize the benefit that diagnostic and interventional radiology (radiology) can bring to both patients and health system, a highly competent service is required. Radiology contributes substantially to the effective diagnosis and treatment of patients. The radiology community has a clear professional responsibility to develop and maintain standards of training, care, and practice to ensure the capability and competence of the radiology team. A competent system would position radiology to make the maximum impact on care. Radiology leaders need to advocate for practitioner competency and quality use of radiology. As radiology is complex, its interaction with the referrers must be effective and efficient and should make use of modern information technology. In particular, a system of guiding referrers ought to be in place to minimize inappropriate investigations and facilitate its cost-effective use. Effective collaboration between the leaders of the profession, facility managers, regulators, and policy makers and the application of innovative actions are necessary if patients and referring physicians are to receive maximum benefit. Such a system is likely to be highly cost effective. This requires acceptance that radiology is a critical enabler of good care and that competence is required in every facet and level of the complex system in which it operates. Strong professional leadership is required to set the principles and standard of care and to promote quality use. Ultimately, these actions require the support from and participation of the practitioners to ensure their successful implementation, thus contributing to better patient outcome.