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Helping to fund programs that improve patient care and safety in diagnostic imaging, AHRA: The Association for Medical Imaging Management and Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. announced that three leading hospitals were selected as the first winners of the AHRA/Toshiba Patient First Grant Program.

St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Lewiston, Maine; Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C.; and Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs, Iowa were selected by the AHRA selection committee to receive $7,500 grants to fund programs, training or seminars aimed at improving patient care and safety in diagnostic imaging. As part of the grant program, recipients will publish an article in an AHRA publication about their innovative programs and create a best practices tool that can be adapted by other hospitals.

“Available funding for innovative patient care programming is limited today, making grant programs like Patient First more important than ever given the economic pressures on hospitals,” said Penny M. Olivi, CRA, FAHRA and president, AHRA. “We are confident the three programs funded by the Patient First grants will improve safety, help patients and result in new best practices to share with other hospitals and medical facilities across the country.”

The programs funded by the AHRA/Toshiba Patient First grants include:

St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center’s “Best Practices in Computerized Tomography”

* Focusing on the use of the ACR Appropriateness Criteria, this program will use evidence-based guidelines to assist referring physicians and other providers in making the most appropriate imaging and treatment decisions, coupled with the most appropriate scanning protocols for CT to image patients more safely.

Washington Hospital Center’s “Standardized Handoff Communication”

* This project will develop a regional seminar to present best practices in patient handoff communications consistent with the Joint Commission’s National Patient Safety Goal 2.

Jennie Edmundson Hospital’s “Metformin Flagging Process”

* This program focuses on identifying Type II diabetic patients and using an automated barcode system to flag patients who may be susceptible to contrast medium complications. The goal is to develop a decision support rule that will alert pharmacists and withhold administration until assessment of renal function.

“We were impressed with the quality of entries for the Patient First Grant Program demonstrating the dedication these hospitals have to providing the highest level of patient care and safety in their communities,” stated Cathy Wolfe, director, Marketing Services, Toshiba. “Toshiba is committed to developing patient friendly products that improve care and outcomes, and funding programs that inspire innovation in the area of patient care demonstrates that commitment.”

The AHRA and Toshiba Patient First Grant Program seeks to improve patient care and safety in diagnostic imaging through offering grants to fund programs, trainings and seminars at local hospitals. The winning grant programs were selected by the AHRA selection committee and are dedicated to improving patient care and developing best imaging practices in the areas of CT, MR, Ultrasound and X-ray.

Source: Press Release in BUSINESS WIRE