ICAMRL Accreditation
MRI site accreditation is becoming a requirement by many insurance companies throughout the United States. ISEMIR endorses the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Magnetic Resonance Laboratories (ICAMRL) amongst other accreditation organizations as the most practical for office based Rheumatologists performing eMRI.
Dedicated to promoting appropriate, quality magnetic resonance in the delivery of health care, the ICAMRL offers an accreditation program which evaluates the critical elements of a magnetic resonance laboratory. The peer-review process provides a method for facilities performing magnetic resonance — in private office settings, outpatient imaging centers and hospitals —to evaluate and demonstrate quality in imaging, quality in interpretation, quality in reporting and most significantly, the overall quality of patient care that they provide.
The ICAMRL Standards , the foundation of the accreditation process, are available for review and download from www.icamrl.org, at no charge. A document for each type of accreditation offered by the ICAMRL:
• Body
• Cardiovascular
• Musculoskeletal
• Neurological
This exists to define the key components of quality magnetic resonance imaging including indications, techniques and components of examination performance, procedure volumes and quality assurance, both technical and interpretive. In addition, a standards document entitled Magnetic Resonance Imaging Operations—Organization details the administrative and operational functions including personnel (medical and technical), supervision, support services, physical facilities, examination interpretation, report and records, safety and patient confidentiality and quality assurance (including a requirement for a quality assurance committee to oversee system and laboratory performance).
The ICAMRL Online Accreditation Application is a user-friendly format which allows easy access to application data and efficiency in submitting the final application to the ICAMRL. All labs seeking accreditation must purchase access to the ICAMRL Online Accreditation application for $200. Laboratories are required to electronically upload all supporting documentation and attachments, with the exception of the case studies, and should allow several weeks to compile, refine and organize the required protocols, reports and supplemental materials in preparation for application submission.
To learn more about the ICAMRL accreditation program, Rheumatologists performing eMRI are encouraged to visit www.icamrl.org or contact the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission’s office in Ellicott City, MD at 800-838-2110. www.icamrl.org provides access to general information, reimbursement policies, The ICAMRL Standards, and a list of ICAMRL accredited laboratories.
Contact information can be provided online at http://www.iac.org/iac/mailinglist.htm to receive additional information.
About the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission
The ICAMRL is a member of the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) along with the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL), the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories (ICAEL), the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Nuclear Medicine Laboratories (ICANL) and the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Computed Tomography Laboratories (ICACTL).
The IAC is a preeminent leader in contributing to continuous improvement in health care by its exclusive dedication to recognizing and establishing value driven quality standards through collaboration with professional medical membership organizations and to providing peer review accreditation. \
To date, the IAC accrediting bodies have granted accreditation to more than 8000 laboratory sites throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Each of the five IAC accrediting divisions offers a comprehensive, peer-review accreditation program for its respective area of diagnostic testing and is recognized for providing a mechanism through which laboratories can demonstrate their commitment to quality care. The accreditation granted by the IAC signifies that a laboratory has been reviewed by an independent agency and that the applicant facility was found to be in substantial compliance with objective standards of quality.
ICAMRL is a non-profit organization, supported by the following societies: the American Academy of Neurology, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American College of Cardiology, the American Society of Neuroimaging, the American Society of Radiologic Technologists, the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, and the International Society of Musculoskeletal Imaging in Rheumatology. In addition to the expertise provided by the ASRT, radiology is represented through the appointment of two at large radiologists: John V. Crues, III, MD and Steven Needell, MD and an MRI technologist: David Kost, RT(R)(MR)(CT).
ISEMIR representatives to the ICAMRL Board:
Norman B. Gaylis, MD ngaylis@aol.com
Orrin M. Troum, MD otroum@troummd.org