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Named a Minnie 2012 finalist for Most Effective Philanthropy Program or Campaign!
 The AHRA & Toshiba Putting Patients First Program seeks to improve pediatric and adult patient care and safety in diagnostic imaging through an innovative grant-making program. The AHRA & Toshiba Putting Patients First Program will provide seven grants in 2012 to fund programs, trainings or seminars aimed at improving pediatric or adult patient care and safety within diagnostic imaging. The programs funded by these grants will be used to create a best-practices tool to share with other hospitals and institutions. Details of the available grants include the following:
- Six grants of up to $7,500 are available to be awarded to single-site hospitals and imaging centers.
- Three grants will be awarded for projects that improve the safety and comfort of pediatric imaging.
- Three grants will be awarded for projects that improve overall patient care and safety in imaging.
- One grant of up to $20,000 is available to be awarded to an Integrated Delivery Network (IDN) or hospital system.
- The grant will be awarded for projects that improve overall patient care and safety in imaging implemented across the IDN/hospital system.
Beyond receiving funds, the grant recipients will publish an article in an AHRA publication about their innovative program to improve patient care and safety in diagnostic imaging. The AHRA will announce the winners and promote the winning programs throughout the grant process.
Eligibility for single-site hospitals and imaging centers:
In order to be considered for a single-site hospital or imaging center grant of up to $7,500, the recipient completing this entry form must:
- Be directly involved in supervising diagnostic imaging in one or more of the following modalities: CT, Ultrasound, MR and/or X-ray/Vascular X-ray at a hospital or imaging center located in the U.S.
- Be able to demonstrate support for this grant by a member of the hospital’s or imaging center’s most senior management team, such as providing a letter of support from the CEO, CFO, Board of Directors or similar-level executive
- Be able to provide the AHRA with initial results of the program by May 31, 2013
- Be able to provide the AHRA with a quote from senior management on the impact of the grant funds by May 31, 2013
Eligibility for IDN/hospital system grant:
In order to be considered for the IDN/hospital system grant of up to $20,000, the recipient completing this entry form must:
- Be able to prove they are part of a hospital system
- Be able to implement the program system-wide
- Be directly involved in supervising diagnostic imaging in one or more of the following modalities: CT, Ultrasound, MR and/or X-ray/Vascular X-ray
- Be able to demonstrate support for this grant by a member of the IDN’s/hospital system’s most senior management team such as providing a letter of support from the CEO, CFO, Board of Directors or similar-level executive
- Be able to provide the AHRA with initial results of the program by May 31, 2013
- Be able to provide the AHRA with a quote from senior management on the impact of the grant funds by May 31, 2013
Funding Overview:
All eligible parties can apply for the one-time grant and fund new imaging-related programs, training or seminars focused on:
- Developing best-practice processes/protocols around improving patient care and safety in diagnostic imaging
- New staff training or seminar to teach best practices around improving patient care and safety in diagnostic imaging
- Developing safer imaging practices for children
- Creating tools to make children more comfortable during exams
Program Criteria:
In order to be considered, the recipient must:
- Develop a written plan for implementing a program (best practices, training or regional seminar) to improve either pediatric or general patient care and safety in imaging, such as:
- Reducing radiation and/or contrast dose
- Reducing the need for sedation
- Improving communication with patients regarding the process
- Improving patient comfort
- Improving the overall clinical pathway
- Develop a method for sharing best practices:
- IDNs/hospital systems must develop a method for sharing best practices across the entire hospital system
- Single-site hospitals and imaging centers must develop a method for sharing best practices with other hospitals or imaging centers
- Submit a preliminary budget for the program
- Be willing to write an article for AHRA publications about the program
- Be willing to participate in promotional efforts for the grant program
- Be willing to provide measurable results within three-to-six months of implementing the program
- Be willing to share all internal announcements about the program (newsletters, website stories, patient and staff testimonials, etc.) with AHRA and Toshiba
Judging Process:
Grant applications are evaluated for merit with the following grant criteria in mind:
- Eligibility
- Program criteria – specifically, the applicant’s plan to create and implement a new program or training/seminar focused on improving pediatric or general patient care and safety in imaging
- Support of the grant application and overall program by the senior management at the hospital or imaging center through the form of a letter, willingness to welcome the seminar attendees or another show of support
- Portability of sharing best practices across the hospital system for IDNs and with other institutions for single-site hospitals
- Willingness to write an article sharing the best practices and key learnings for an AHRA publication
- Willingness to share feedback on the impact of the program
Timing/Deadlines:
Applications must be submitted by October 15, 2012.
Winners will be announced in November 2012.
Apply online (Closed)
Download the application (Word version)
Download the application (PDF version)
2012 Grant Recipients:
IDN grant awarded to:
- Akron Children's Hospital (Akron, Ohio) - The Radiology Patient & Family Education Program: will develop educational materials to increase the knowledge levels of patients and their families of the radiation dose they will receive during examinations.
Three pediatric programs:
- Crouse Hospital (Syracuse, N.Y.) – Acquiring Two Movable Lead Walls: will reduce the radiation dose to neighboring NICU babies by purchasing two movable lead walls to place between infants at the time of x-ray.
- Connecticut Children's Medical Center (Hartford, Conn.) – Acquiring Two "Laser Localizer" Accessories: to provide training of radiologic technologists in proper use of this tool for existing 9900 C-arms, which will greatly reduce the amount of time patients are exposed to ionizing radiation.
- Mission Children's Hospital Reuter Outpatient Center (Ashville, N.C.) - Child Life Intervention to Prepare Children for MRI Procedures: establishing the use of therapeutic play to reduce anxiety prior to imaging exams.
Three general program winners:
- The Methodist Hospital (Houston, Texas) - Commit to Sit: focuses on establishing early, effective communication to improve patient safety and satisfaction, using open dialogue and active listening.
- Catalina Island Medical Center (Avalon, Calif.) - ACT Now: to purchase materials to improve patient comfort, implement protocols in ultrasound and CT regarding patient processing and communication and decreased contrast, infection and radiation exposure.
- Salem Township Hospital (Salem, Ill.) - CT Contrast & Weight-Based Dosing: designed to improve patient safety and patient care while providing weight-based dosing, quality assurance metrics, automatic documentation and integration into PACS and RIS.
 2011 Grant Recipients:
The IDN grant was awarded to:
- Texas Children’s Hospital (Houston, Texas) – Use of MRI to Replace CT in the Imaging of Appendicitis in Children: will conduct a four month study assessing the effectiveness of using MR as the primary imaging tool for pediatric appendicitis.
The three winning pediatric programs include:
- Fairview Health System (St. Paul, Minn.) – Initiative to Reduce Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging: will implement a web-based educational program for families, patients and providers of pediatric patients suffering from traumatic brain injuries and appendicitis.
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital (Cincinnati, Ohio) – Enhancing the Patient and Family Experience in a Children's Radiology Department Through the Use of Tablet Computers: will provide pediatric patients with iPads as a calming tool instead of using sedation or anesthesia.
- Bronson Methodist Hospital (Kalamazoo, Mich.) – Video Visits: Using Media to Ease the Pediatric Imaging Process: will develop an instructional video on the imaging process and offer information on radiation dose to prepare children and parents before an exam.
The three general program winners include:
- St. Vincent Medical Center (Bridgeport, Conn.) – Exposing Safety: Strategies for Radiation Protection: will create an online educational tool to heighten awareness for its radiation safety program.
- John T. Mather Memorial Hospital (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) – Reducing CT Scan Cumulative Dose: will educate patients and providers about the risks of radiation and install software that records dose information.
- Harnett Health Betsy Johnson Hospital (Dunn, N.C.) – Medical Imaging to Pharmacy: will obtain measurable outcomes of its Medical Imaging to Pharmacy program that encourages greater coordination and communication.
 2010 Grant Recipients:
- Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Gainesville, GA: The Benefits of a Community CT Imaging Record and Reduction in Radiation Dose
- Administrator: Debra Duke, CRA- Director Imaging Services
- Children's Hospital & Medical Center, Omaha, NE: Artwork Wraps for Pediatric MRI Machines
- Administrator: Nicole Hardin-Radiology Manager
- St Joseph's Regional Medical Center, Paterson, NJ: The Alphabet of Imaging: MRI & X-Ray
- Administrator: John Hart-Administrative Director, Radiology
- Medical Center of the Rockies, Loveland, CO: Utilizing Hypnosis to Decrease Pharmaceutical Sedation in MRI
- Administrator: Holly Knaub-Supervisor
- Sublette County Rural Health Care District: Pinedale & Marbleton Medical Clinics, Pinedale, WY: SMILE
- Administrator: Michelle Overgaag-Radiology Department Supervisor
- Overlake Hospital Medical Center, Bellevue, WA: TRACE Program-Tools for Radiation Awareness & Community Education
- Administrator: Brenda Rinehart, CRA-Director Medical Imaging
 2009 Grant Recipients:
- Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston in Atlanta, GA: Use of Bismuth Shields in All CT Exams
- Administrator: Melinda Dobbs - Manager, Radiology
- Community Health Network in Indianapolis, IN: Pediatric CT Imaging Simulation Program
- Administrator: Scott King - Lead Technologist/Technical Specialist
- Memorial Hermann Outpatient Imaging Division in Houston, TX: Improved Process Program
- Administrator: Kelly Firestine - CT Manager
- Highline Medical Center in Burien, WA : Improvement Project for Scheduling Inpatients for Imaging Exams
- Administrator: Krista Christensen - Director, Imaging and Cath Lab Services
- Shields Health Care in Quincy, MA: Understanding and Reducing Patient Anxiety
- Administrator: Karen Scalia - Regional Business Director
- St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula, MT : Interactive Utility to Improve the Imaging Process
- Administrator: Andrew Gardner - Director, Diagnostic Imaging
 2008 Grant Recipients (3 grants awarded in 2008):
- Washington Hospital Center, Washington D.C.: Standardized Handoff Communication (use of “green, yellow, red” handoff form as an effective tool to improve safety and outcomes)
- Administrator: Gayle Thompson Smillie CRA, Director of Radiology
- Jennie Edmundson Hospital, Council Bluffs, IA: Metformin flagging process
- Administrator: Jim Lipacom, Director Imaging Services
- St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, Lewiston, ME: Best Practices in Computerized Tomography
- Administrator: Donna M Knightly, Radiology Supervisor, Imaging Services
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