Updating a QA program to meet new JCAHO standards.

This article discusses the changes in standards of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) that will affect medical imaging departments' quality assurance programs. It presents an imaging manager's view of how to integrate the new quality assessment and improvement requirements with a departmental plan that meets departmental standards. The ten steps of monitoring and evaluation are discussed with some practical examples of how to develop a QA program.