• The first comprehensive program of its kind that evaluates mammography technologist performance and service
• Patent pending continuous quality improvement methodology including more than 200 points of evaluation
• Visually color coded results delivery allows easy interpretation for radiologists, managers, and technologists
• Identifies key areas of performance improvement which impacts efficiency and patient satisfaction
• Your solution to EQUIP (Enhancing Quality Using the Inspection Program), a new image quality initiative from the FDA beginning January 2017.  Click here to learn more about EQUIP

For more MammoCheck™ result examples, continue to Validation Study

Validation Study

Our first Clinical Validation Study was conducted in the Summer of 2015 at a teaching university-affiliated medical center with a breast fellowship-trained radiologist. 

Round 1 consisted of our visit to the facility to complete an assessment of 49 exams per technologist; these pre-education exams were performed in the Spring of 2015. During this visit we also provided a 2.5-hour long educational presentation on image quality and the features we would use to evaluate future exams.

We returned one month later to complete the assessment of exams for Round 2. The one-month interlude gave time for the technologists to incorporate (or not) their newly learned positioning and image evaluation processes. We then critiqued an additional 49 exams the technologists performed after their educational seminar.

We reviewed 294 exams in total. With over 100 critique features per exam, this encompasses approximately 30,000 data points. 

The purpose of our Clinical Validation Study is to demonstrate MQM™’s ability to quantify technologist positioning behaviors. Our Study is not designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a 2.5-hour educational presentation, however, we do note improvement in many of the key positioning features that we use to measure image quality. 

May Study Results

Comparison Results

Technologist Performance Assessment

September 2016 the FDA introduced EQUIP, an initiative to address existing MQSA standards using the inspection program. The initiative monitors the LIP oversight of QA/QC as well as the image quality of mammography exams produced at the facility. The following MQSA standards pertaining to image quality will be addressed during FDA inspections:

Clinical image quality.  Clinical images produced by any certified facility must continue to comply with the standards for clinical image quality established by that facility's accreditation body.

Interpreting physicians.  All interpreting physicians interpreting mammograms for the facility shall: Follow the facility procedures for corrective action when the images they are asked to interpret are of poor quality.

Beginning January 2017, MQSA inspections include new requirements for facilities to prove that they have mechanisms in place to ensure the mammography images they produce provide adequate image quality.

Image quality is affected by the mammography technologist's knowledge and actions from pre-exposure, acquisition, to post-exposure. Our assessment method identifies factors and actions that negatively influence the final image and recommends quality improvement solutions. Results apprise technologists of negative behaviors, allowing for the opportunity of specific performance improvement to occur and be measured by subsequent evaluations.

Continuous quality improvement (CQI) quantitative measurements over time provide the ability to identify specific individual and facility strengths and weaknesses affecting patient experience and cost.  To assist your facility in addressing the new FDA requirements for the EQUIP initiative, MammoCheck™ is a CQI program that is implemented at your facility under the supervision and guidance of the LIP.  MammoCheck™ provides:

√ Mechanism for providing ongoing IP feedback on image quality to each technologist

√ Mechanism for documenting corrective actions

√ Mechanism for documenting effectiveness of corrective actions taken

√ Mechanism for regular review of image quality attributes of a sample of exams done by each technologist

√ Mechanism for regular review of image quality attributes of a sample of exams accepted by each IP

√ Documentation of each review for the annual inspection:

√ Summary report

√ Clinical image review report