Diagnostic Imaging Accreditation

What is accreditation?

Accreditation is independent recognition that an organisation, program or activity meets the requirements of defined criteria or standards. Accreditation provides assurance for owners, managers, staff, funding bodies and consumers about quality and performance.

In June 2007, legislation was enacted to amend the Health Insurance Act 1973 to establish a diagnostic imaging accreditation scheme under which mandatory accreditation would be linked to the payment of Medicare benefits for radiology and non-radiology services.

The Diagnostic Imaging Accreditation Scheme (the Scheme) was introduced in two stages. Stage I of the Scheme commenced on 1 July 2008 and only covered diagnostic imaging service providers delivering radiology services. Stage I concluded on 30 June 2010.

Stage II of the Scheme commenced on 1 July 2010 and covers all diagnostic imaging services listed in the Diagnostic Imaging Services Table of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS).

From 1 July 2010 all service providers wishing to provide Medicare eligible diagnostic imaging services, must be accredited under Stage II of the Scheme.

QIP is one of three accreditation agencies approved to provide diagnostic imaging accreditation services and is the provider of choice for approximately 40% of diagnostic imaging service providers nationally.

What is quality?

Quality is the degree of excellence of a product, service, or process.

QIP plays a key role in ensuring that quality service provision in the health and human services industry is maintained by measuring the degree to which service providers meet the requirements of the Standards relevant to their profession. Standards encourage service providers to monitor and continually improve the services their business delivers, including education, management, the rights and needs of patients and/or clients, and the physical facilities of their business.

QIP accreditation

QIP is committed to providing a simple and effective accreditation program consistent with international best practice.

Our approach to providing accreditation and certification services is founded on six principles:

Simplicity
Support
Independence
Expertise
Transparency
Excellence

QIPs processes are simple and largely paperless, reducing the time and effort that is often associated with accreditation. We provide a range of services to assist clients, founded on high quality client support, including education and best practice resources.

Consistent with best practice, our processes ensure appropriate independence is maintained in the provision of accreditation support, assessment and accreditation decision-making.