Med Center Health Safety Snapshot – September

Your Quick Look into Safety at Med Center Health

At Med Center Health, safety and high reliability are more than just goals. They are our promise to every person who comes through our doors. This Safety Snapshot highlights a Joint Commission National Performance Goal focused on imaging safety.

Imaging Safety

The Joint Commission emphasizes that organizations must have processes to safely manage patients receiving diagnostic imaging that uses contrast media. This includes identifying patients who may be at increased risk for adverse reactions, ensuring clear communication among the care team, and having standardized processes to respond if a patient experiences a contrast-related event.

What This Means for Daily Practice

  • Verify the patient using two identifiers before imaging or contrast administration
    • Ask the patient to tell you their name and date of birth when possible
    • Match the response to the patient’s wrist band and imaging orders
  • Review allergies and prior reactions to contrast media before the exam
    • Escalate any contraindications to the patient’s care team before proceeding
    • Follow any premedication protocols when ordered
  • Assess kidney function and other risk factors when indicated before administering contrast
  • Confirm the correct exam, patient, and contrast prior to initiating imaging
    • If any discrepancies are found, escalate concerns
  • Communicate clearly between ordering providers, nursing, radiology, and imaging staff when patient conditions or risks change
    • Speak up if you don’t have all of the information you need or anything is unclear
  • Be prepared to recognize and respond to adverse contrast reactions using established emergency protocols
    • Know where emergency medications and equipment are located
    • Monitor patients during and after contrast administration according to policy
    • Activate the appropriate emergency response if a reaction occurs
  • Document thoroughly to support continuity of care and future imaging decisions

Why It Matters

Although contrast-enhanced imaging is performed safely every day, adverse events can occur when important risk factors are overlooked or communication breaks down. Standardized screening, effective teamwork, and timely recognition of patient changes help prevent harm, reduce delays in care, and ensure every patient receives the safest possible imaging experience.

Every safe scan begins with asking the right questions, confirming the right information, and speaking up when something doesn’t seem right.

Together, we make safety a reality. Thank you for being an essential part of our culture of safety!

Reliably yours,

Denise Kaetzel, MHA, MSN, RN, CENP – Executive Director of Quality and Patient Experience

Kaitlin Banasiewicz, PhD, MSN, RN – Director of Patient Safety and Clinical Research

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