Improve Care

Medical Imaging

Font Size: •

Medical Imaging

Appropriate medical imaging contributes towards improved patient care and ensures vital imaging is available when most needed.

Canadian studies suggest that up to 20% of medical imaging is inappropriate or non-essential, potentially exposing patients to harm from additional testing, unnecessary radiation exposure and unnecessary anxiety caused by the investigation of false positives.1

That’s why we just launched Essential Imaging, an initiative aimed at helping teams initiate, implement and spread best practices for appropriate medical imaging in five common areas in primary and emergency care:

  • Uncomplicated headache
  • Minor head injuries
  • Suspected pulmonary embolism
  • Low back pain
  • Moderate to severe osteoarthritis in hip or knee joints

Join Our Essential Imaging Initiative

Essential Imaging is a quality improvement initiative to help care providers, team leaders and staff members partner with patients to successfully initiate, test, implement and spread evidence-based best practices for appropriate medical imaging in five common areas in primary and emergency care.

Supported by the BC Ministry of Health and informed by clinical practice, experience and expert contributions, we’re providing evidence-based and locally tested tools and resources designed to accelerate change as well as coaching and support for participating teams.

The virtual action series takes place from March to July 2021 and features interactive webinars to share knowledge and techniques on embedding appropriateness into everyday work. The first webinar has taken place but teams are still welcome to join. And if you if you can’t commit due to uncertainties around COVID-19 or because you don’t have a team, you can still join activities and webinars live or watch the recordings.

To learn more and sign up, email us at imaging@bcpsqc.ca and see our Frequently Asked Questions.

Date

Webinar Theme

By the end of this Action Period, participants will be able to…
Tuesday, March 23, 2021

1230 – 1400

 1. Setting the Foundation
  1. Identify common situations in your setting where the medical imaging appropriateness guideline can be applied and areas for improvement.
  2. Identify the first step to better understand the problem, how to develop a team and what you want to accomplish.
Thursday, April 29, 2021

1200 – 1330

 2. Patient Engagement
  1. Identify patient and care provider factors that influence inappropriate imaging.
  2. Identify ideas and evidence-based strategies to test.
  3. Develop a plan to test – what to learn about the idea, how it can be learned and a prediction of what may happen.
Wednesday, May 19, 2021

1200 – 1330

 3. Real-Time Data to Drive Improvement
  1. Develop a measurement plan including outcome, process and balancing measures.
  2. Explore what it means to measure, when to measure and how to collect data.
Wednesday, June 23, 2021

1200 – 1330

 4. Feedback and Accountability Systems
  1. Identify ideas and evidence-based strategies to test.
  2. Explore ways to have conversations on when an image is not appropriate.
Wednesday, July 28, 2021

1200 – 1330

 5. You Call the Shots Prior to the last session, teams will complete a poll on what topic they would like to dive deeper into.

 

Getting Started with Essential Imaging

Getting Started Kit

This Getting Started Kit aims to help care providers, team leaders and staff members partner with patients to successfully initiate, test, implement and spread evidence-based best practices for appropriate medical imaging in five common areas in primary and emergency care.

Download the Getting Started Kit

Driver Diagram

A driver diagram is a visual framework that helps us to achieve our goal of reducing inappropriate medical imaging. It breaks down the overall aim into primary drivers, secondary drivers and tangible ideas that are ready for testing and implementation.

Download the Driver Diagram

View More Resources

Medical Imaging During COVID-19

Looking for information and resources about medical imaging during COVID-19? We’ve helped create resources to support patients and providers. Check them out here!

Upcoming Events

See More Upcoming Events

References

1. Min A, Chan VWY, Aristizabal R, Peramaki ER, Agulnik DB, Strydom N, et al. Volume of imaging for low back pain in an urban emergency department. J Am Coll Radiol. 2017;14:889-899.

Key Contact

Sarah Carriere
Director, Health System Improvement (Acute & Long-Term Care)
scarriere@bcpsqc.ca
604.668.8215