Intro Flashcards
what is QA
- QUALITY ASSURANCE
- programme for systematic monitoring and evaluation of various aspects of a service, project
- aims that standards are being met
what is QC
- QUALITY CONTROL
- aims to maintain or improve quality
- monitoring, evaluation and maintenance at required levels of performance
main difference between QA and QC
- QA - equipment tested to improve or standardise
- QC - equipment tested to identify and correct defects
the generic aim of QA
- reduce radiation exposure to staff and users
- contain costs
- improve medical imaging
areas to consider for QA
- radiographic equipment
- workstations
- reject analysis
- patient dose monitoring
- PACS
why is QA important
- identify equipment deterioration
- used to achieve ALARP
- ensures service user and staff safety
- legal compliance
the team according to IR(ME)R (2017)
- radiographer
- medical physics expert (MPE)
- employer
QA duties of the employer according to IR(ME)R 2017
- ensure QA programmes are in place and being followed
- ensure every operator is adequately trained and engaged to carry out QA
- ensure MPE appointed
QA duties of the operator IRMER
- ensure that dose of ionising radiation is ALARP
- consistent with intended diagnostic purpose
the team with IRR (2017)
- radiographer
- employer
- NO MPE
QA duties of the employer according to IRR
- establish and implement QA policies + procedures
- provide adequate training and competency programs
- regular audits and inspections
- maintain records and documentation
- routine testing
what does QA and hCPC require us to do
- be able to practice within legal and ethical boundaries
- be able to practise as an autonomous professional exercising their own professional judgement
- communicate and work well with others
- maintain records
- assure quality of practise
- understand key concepts
- draw on appropriate knowledge and skills
aims of operational framework for QA
- maintain radiation doses to a minimum level
- consistent image quality
- ensure equipment kept to standard
- keep retake rate ALARP
- reduce servicer user dose
what does the QA committee do
- manage and direct programme
- decides what needs to be done
- co-ordinates QA procedures and data collection
- reviews and evaluates data
- considers relevance of data
- decides actions in light of data
tests need to ;
produce quantitative data and actively encourage staff participation
- QA does not just cover equipment
the 5 levels of testing for QA
- acceptance testing - mpe
- rigorous evaluation - mpe
- external audit - advisory boards
- constancy checks - routine tests
- write off - mpe
two types of action levels
- remedial action
- suspension
remedial level
- level of performance at which remedial action needs to be initiated
- action will be based on formal assessment of equipments performance and risk of continued use
after the assessment and remedial level is reached
agreement should be reached on reasonable timescale for corrective action to be taken
suspension level
a level of performance at which it is recommended that equipment should be removed from clinical use
- equipment should be taken out immediately until correction
