The Diagnostic Imaging Quality Assurance Program was created to provide a quality assurance
program for medical imaging in the Province of Saskatchewan. Provincially funded, the DIQA Program is
under contract from the Ministry of Health (Medical Services Branch) and
administered by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan.
What We Regulate
Regulatory Bylaw 25.1, Operation of Diagnostic Imaging Facilities in
the Province of Saskatchewan, has been developed to ensure the provision
of an acceptable quality of patient care in diagnostic imaging.
This
document indicates conditions that must exist in any diagnostic imaging
facility, whether fixed or portable to allow a physician to:
- perform diagnostic imaging procedures in that facility; or
- interpret diagnostic images rendered or obtained in that facility; or
- refer patients to that facility.
The Advisory Committee on Medical Imaging (ACMI)
The Committee
The Advisory Committee on Medical Imaging (ACMI) of the College of
Physicians and Surgeons has been mandated, by its contract with the
Ministry of Health, to "develop methods and protocols for the assessment
of the quality of medical imaging services provided."
The ACMI is currently comprised of:
- four Radiologists
- one Nuclear
Medicine specialist
- one Obstetrician/ Gynecologist
- one Cardiologist
- one Ultrasonographer
- one Medical Radiation Technologist
- representation
from Radiation Health and Safety
- representatives from the Ministry of Health
- three College staff members, who provide the administration of the DIQA
program.
Guidelines
The following national guidelines have been adopted by the ACMI for use in its Quality Assurance program:
- Guidelines for the Provision of Echocardiography in Canada
- Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines for Ultrasound
- Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) National Practice Guidelines
Assessing Compliance
In order to assess compliance with the standards, the ACMI has
established a process with which to review imaging physicians, who are selected on a random basis. Priority is given to Radiologists practicing in remote or solo practices. This
process includes peer review assessments of Radiologists,
Obstetrician/Gynecologists and those physicians performing
Echocardiography (Cardiologists and Internists). Assessment reports are provided to the physician and Medical Director of the facility to provide feedback and education.