Improving Patient Care & Experience Through Onsite MRI-[Job Aid] Improving Patient Care & Experience Through Onsite MRI

[Job Aid] Improving Patient Care & Experience Through Onsite MRI

Pdf Summary

Samantha Towler, Ancillary Patient Services Manager at TOA, highlights the benefits of providing on-site MRI/CT services to improve patient care and experience. On-site imaging enhances patient convenience by reducing travel and speeding up imaging and surgery planning, leading to higher satisfaction among patients and providers.<br /><br />To optimize workflows, practices should use third-party vendors for MRI/CT authorizations, with pre-certification teams verifying benefits and directly contacting patients. Regular process assessments ensure continuous improvement. Scheduling efficiency improves when pre-cert and scheduling duties are combined, enabling same-week imaging instead of delays of 7 to 10 days. Staffing strategies include cross-training front desk, scheduling, and pre-cert teams, maintaining consistent coverage through staggered shifts, and assigning two MRI technicians per machine to maximize capacity.<br /><br />Increasing patient access involves allowing walk-in or same-day MRIs when possible and using stat blocks for urgent surgery or complication cases. Only complex cases, such as patients with pacemakers, are referred to outside facilities. Implementation best practices emphasize embracing automation to reduce delays and errors, maintaining full schedules while recognizing seasonal demand changes, and fostering strong partnerships with dedicated musculoskeletal radiologists.<br /><br />Overall, integrating on-site MRI/CT services with streamlined authorizations, efficient scheduling, flexible staffing, and patient-centered access significantly enhances the quality of care and operational efficiency in medical practices.

Keywords

on-site MRI

CT services

patient care improvement

workflow optimization

pre-certification teams

scheduling efficiency

cross-training staff

patient access

automation in imaging

musculoskeletal radiologists