Every medical procedure has its own set of regulatory requirements and compliance issues, and mammography is no different. 
Of course you want to make sure your mammography patients get the highest quality of care—and you don’t want to risk costly fines and legal action if you aren’t in compliance with regulations. The experts at Atlantis Worldwide put together this list of common compliances issue and how you can avoid them.
- Inadequate Maintenance of Equipment: To ensure accurate and high-quality images, mammography equipment must be maintained properly. That’s why it’s important to have a comprehensive maintenance policy in place and a staff that understands the importance of providing proper equipment maintenance. You’ll want to schedule routine equipment inspections and reviews to make sure the equipment is functioning properly.
- Not Following Quality Control Procedures: If you don’t follow proper procedures it can result in Misdiagnosis, poor image quality and cause potential harm to your patients. To avoid this, be sure you have written quality control procedures in place and your staff is trained to follow these procedures. By performing routine audits and reviews, you can make sure quality control procedures are being followed.
- Inadequate Documentation: In Mammography, documentation is essential. If you don’t document procedures, results and other information correctly, you could face compliance issues and cause harm to patients. It’s important to have a comprehensive policy in place that your staff is familiar with and complies with. By scheduling routine audits and reviews, you can avoid any issues.
- Inadequate Training For Staff: To make sure your staff can perform their duties correctly, it’s important to provide proper training. Make sure your staff is trained and certified and receives routine training and updates about the latest advances in mammography care. It’s also important to have adequate staffing.
- Failure to Meet EQUIP and MQSA Requirements: The Enhancing Quality Using The Inspection Program (EQUIP) and the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA) are federal programs designed to ensure the quality and safety of mammography services. If you don’t meet these requirements you could face compliance issues and cause potential harm to patients. By making sure your facility is aware of these requirements and you have a comprehensive compliance program in place, you can avoid issues.
- Inadequate Communication With Patients: It’s vital to have clear and effective communication with patients regarding mammography operations. If you don’t do so, it could result with compliance and safety issues. Make sure your staff members understand and use effective patient communication techniques and are skilled in educating patients about mammography and the screening process.
- Failure To Manage Patient Records Properly: If you don’t manage your patient records properly, you could face compliance issues and potentially harm patients. Your facility should have a comprehensive patient record management system that is adhered to by your staff. By scheduling routine audits and reviews, you can ensure that patient records are complete and up-to-date.
Talk To An Expert
Do you have questions about compliance regarding mammography operations? Are you in need of mammography imaging equipment for your facility? If so, contact the experts at Atlantis Worldwide. We’ve been helping healthcare facilities with their medical imaging needs for more than 30 years and would love to provide you with assistance.
Follow Atlantis Worldwide on Twitter: @AtlantisLLC
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About the author: Vikki Harmonay
