Revision History
ACR has developed an ACR International Recognition for Quality and Safety program to recognize non-US imaging centers who operate with dedication and commitment to quality and patient safety.
The ACR International Recognition for Quality and Safety program is at a facility level. International facilities interested in obtaining the ACR International Recognition, must perform a self-assessment of the modalities performed at the location to ensure they meet the various ACR accreditation related requirements.
The facility applying for this recognition will need to attest to meeting the personnel qualifications, quality control, clinical imaging requirements, clinical imaging labeling, policy and procedure availability and physician quality assurance requirements for all modalities performed.
General Instructions
Submit an application
Once the application is submitted, an invoice and participation agreement will be send to the appropriate individuals listed in the application.
Once the payment and participation survey agreement are received, the facility contact will receive a Survey Monkey link containing the self-assessment questions requirement for recognition evaluation. The facility will have 90 days to complete and submit the survey.
The facility contact will fill out the survey and upload all required quality control (QC) documents for all applicable modalities.
Once the survey is submitted, the ACR will review the self-assessment responses and uploaded documentation to make a determination of successful recognition status.
If successful, the ACR will send a marketing toolkit and certificate for the facility to proudly display.
If additional information is required, the ACR will follow-up for corrective action.
In order to obtain ACR International Recognition for Quality and Safety, the facility must meet the general requirements below and the applicable modality specific requirements attached at the bottom of this article.
General Interpreting Physician Requirements for all Modalities
Interpreting Physician Personnel Qualifications
Must be licensed medical practitioners
All physicians for all modalities performed must be listed and must meet the country’s qualifications requirements for interpreting examinations. Each interpreting physician must also meet the ACR Interpreting Physician Continuing Experience and Continuing Medical Education requirements for each modality.
Intravenous Contrast Media
Onsite personnel to ensure safety
On site, there must be a radiology or other physician OR qualified person who is acting under the general supervision of a physician. This individual must:
Have received training and meet institutional periodic competency guidelines at evaluating patients and diagnosing and differentiating different types of adverse reactions to contrast material.
Be able to recognize when medical intervention is required for hypersensitivity immediate reaction or physiology adverse event due to contrast administration.
Be trained and legally permitted to administer prescription medications (e.g. antihistamine, intravenous fluid, beta agonist inhalers, epinephrine) and other appropriate interventions independently or under a standing orders/algorithmic approach under state law or regulations, and under local, institutional, site and facility policies, guidelines and rules. These interventions are those indicated for urgent response to a contrast material adverse event as listed in the ACR Manual of Contrast Media or similar local policies or guidelines.
When qualified to act under general supervision of a physician, be able to consult with the supervising physician within an appropriate timeframe.
Has minimum BLS certification.
Understand when to call for assistance and how to activate emergency response systems.
If the general supervision by a physician is performed remotely, the process should comply with all federal/state law or regulations and local, institutional, site and facility policies, guidelines, or rules related to telemedicine. This remote general supervision should be available whenever contrast material is administered and include the standard post administration monitoring as dictated by all federal/state law or regulations and local, institutional, site and facility policies, guidelines, or rules.
Overall staffing should take into account the timeliness of available emergency response systems.
*Note: Other physicians include radiology residents and fellows
Equipment Information/Annual Physics Survey/Annual Equipment Performance Evaluation/Technologist Quality Control
Sites applying for ACR International Recognition for Quality and Safety must provide the following equipment information on the ACR provided summary form (or equivalent) for each active unit for every applicable modality:
Manufacturer name
Model name
Year of manufacture
Date of most recent annual physics/equipment performance evaluation
Date of prior annual physics/equipment performance evaluation
Corrective action or any of the annual physics survey/equipment performance evaluations
The facility will upload the most recent annual physics survey/performance evaluation for each active unit for the applicable modalities including documentation of corrective action (if the physicist report indicates areas where corrective action is needed).
A quality control (QC) program must be established and implemented to ensure all equipment is functioning appropriately.
The QC program including the annual physics survey/performance evaluation and technologist/sonographer QC must include all required testing.
Clinical Image Evaluation and Labeling
Facility’s must review 1 typical clinical examination from each module for each modality and attest to meeting the ACR clinical image quality and labeling requirements.
Policies and Procedures
Each site is required to have the following general policies and procedures:
Identification and management of potentially pregnant patients and personnel
Radiation protection for patients and personnel including radiation monitoring (if applicable)
Reducing exposure as much as reasonably possible for pediatric patients (if applicable)
Sedation for MRI (if applicable)
Safety of patients and personnel that includes attention to the physical environment-for example, a fire evacuation or disaster plan.
Proper user, storage and disposal of hazardous materials and medications.
Addressing medical and other emergencies
Infection control
Monitoring complication and adverse events or sentinel events (for example, an incident reporting policy).
Crash cart locations and checks.
Consumer complaint/grievance
Licensing verification
Administering contrast media, IV sedatives, or controlled agents (if applicable)
Managing contrast media reactions (if applicable)
Direct supervision of contrast media (if applicable)
Employee orientation
Communication of diagnostic imaging findings (critical results)
Physican Quality Assurance
All sites initially applying for the ACR International Recognition for Quality & Safety must actively participate in a physician quality assurance program. Details can be found on the Physician QA Requirements article.
Revision History for this Article | ||
Date | Section | Description of Revision |
10-2-2024 | Created article | |
11-18-2024 | Added Physician Quality Assurance language | |