IR & INR | New Publication 2022

Standards of Practice for Interventional Radiology and Interventional Neuroradiology

This year saw the release of the first version of the Standards of Practice for Interventional Radiology (IR) and Interventional Neuroradiology (INR), representing the culmination of the first dedicated and comprehensive standards of practice for IR and INR in Australia and New Zealand.

These Standards offer a framework for a nationally consistent approach for interventional radiologists, interventional neuroradiologists, radiology leaders and hospital administrators to support the delivery of high-quality patient care and outcomes and are applicable to all IR and INR services across Australia and New Zealand.

We know that professional standards can establish minimum levels of performance, establish consistency and help reduce variation in care across multiple individuals and healthcare services.

These Standards set out what is expected across several domains, such as Governance and Coordinated Patient Care, with examples of what each healthcare service is accountable for and the evidence required to demonstrate that the Standard is met. The Standards are based upon similar documents published by The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists and the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe.

They include expectations that the patient safety must be central to system design and that the quality of care provided and patient outcomes are evaluated and compared to national and international benchmarks.

This approach demonstrates a renewed focus on improving patient safety by:

• Strengthening clinical governance arrangements to support safe clinical practice

• Promoting a culture of continuous quality improvement

• Providing guidance for the professional practice of IR and INR

• Detailing workplace health and staff safety.

The publication of the Standards marks a significant commitment by the College to improve the practice of IR and INR in Australia and New Zealand. Moving forward, radiology leaders will have to consider how they will consider implementation of the Standards in their organisation.

At many leading institutions in Australia and New Zealand, we will not meet the Standards that have been set. The Standards provides us all with an opportunity to identify the system level gaps in IR and INR services, and work with radiology leaders, hospital administrators and funders to address them.

The Standards reflect what patients expect, and healthcare services now have a framework against which the standard of their IR and INR services will be evaluated.

This is a large step forward to safeguard patient safety, and I encourage all radiology leaders to step up and meet the challenge that has been set.

The development of the standards was undertaken by the College’s Interventional Radiology Standards Working Group and led by the Interventional Radiology Committee.

As always, the College welcomes your feedback on the Standards of Practice for Interventional Radiology and Interventional Neuroradiology. All feedback should be forwarded to standards@ranzcr.edu.au

Members of the Interventional Radiology Standards Working Group are: A/Prof Winston Chong (Chair), Dr Nick Brown (Chair, Interventional Radiology Committee), A/Prof Ronil V. Chandra, Dr Andrew Cheung, Dr Con Phatouros, A/Prof Gerard Goh, Dr Jim Koukounaras, Dr Matthew Lukies, Dr Colin Chong, Dr Martin Dobes and Mr Murray McLachlan (consumer representative).

Members of the Interventional Radiology Committee are: Dr Nick Brown (Chair), A/Prof Dinesh Varma (Chief of Professional Practice), A/ Prof Winston Chong, A/Prof Ronil V. Chandra, Dr Andrew Cheung, A/Prof Warren Clements, Dr Terry Kok, A/Prof Andrew Holden, A/Prof Will McAuliffe, Dr Craig Ferguson, Dr Wen Ter Kan, Mr Murray McLachlan (consumer representative).