Diagnostic Imaging Safety and Protection: A Collective Interaction and Decision-Making Processes and Procedures toward an Effective Health Outcome

This chapter will focus on the safety and protection in utilization of radiation and nonradiation imaging modalities within a medical encounter in health institutional context. The challenges of ease of access on the one hand regarding a referral versus accessing of these imaging services. The roles and responsibilities of the diverse range of professionals in the medical encounter are in ensuring that an effective decision-making is made at each point in time. The importance of communication, coordination, collaboration, and alignment is in ensuring that the care and safety of the patient is not compromised. Thus, the chore essence of provider is patient-centered care, that is, from the point of the initiation of the referral to the outcomes of an effective medical treatment and management plan. The role of the imaging investigation and its value is outweighing the risks versus harm through these chains of events and beyond.