Congress convenes hearing on Medical Radiation Issues, AAPM to testify
In response to issues highlighting patient safety concerns in radiology and radiation oncology practice, the Subcommittee on Health of the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce is convening a hearing on “medical radiation: an overview of the issues”. AAPM has been asked to present testimony on February 10, 2010. A number of groups will be represented at the hearing. President Herman will make a statement on behalf of the Association.
While millions of people receive medical radiation to their benefit annually, the rare events recently publicized highlight the need for improvement. AAPM intends to present the unique position of the medical physicist in the use of medical radiation and discuss specific points where more effort and progress are being made to improve the quality of care and patient safety. These include:
- Provide robust, consistent, and financially-stable Education, Training and Clinical experience for the qualified medical physicist (QMP) in clinical practice, including the current AAPM 2012/2014 initiative plus federal funding.
- Strive for nationally-consistent recognition of the QMP and medical radiation team members; pass the CARE bill then implement consistently.
- Provide national practice guidance in radiation oncology and medical imaging based on consensus and consistent minimum quality thresholds, which recognize qualified individuals, establishes minimum staffing levels, and defines specific procedural guidance including explicit process communication within and beyond the medical team.
- Establish a rigorous minimum standard for accrediting clinical practices that specifically includes the oversight of dose and quality assurance for medical imaging and radiation therapy technology; that requires sites to have work done per national practice guidance by qualified individuals and that provides additional accreditation requirements for highly specialized procedures and that requires practice reviews be performed by qualified individuals.
- Link (CMS) reimbursement to rigorous practice accreditation for all medical imaging and radiation therapy practices
- Create a national data collection system to learn from actual or potential adverse events. It will allow reporting by medical staff and manufacturers in a complete and consistent manner, searchable to identify patterns, risks and corrective actions and to provide education. This will require a partnership with between all involved (federal and state government, manufacturers, users, patients)
- Improve the effectiveness of product clinical quality, application and integration review in the regulatory equipment clearance process by partnering with FDA, IEC and manufacturers.
Many of these points, AAPM and others have been working on for years. Improvement on these issues, taken together will make the use of medical radiation safer and more effective for the people that need it.
The full AAPM statement will be posted early next week.