New federal mandates will soon require referring providers to consider appropriate use criteria (AUC) when ordering advanced diagnostic imaging, specifically including CT, MR, PET and nuclear medicine examinations.
Appropriate use criteria are evidence-based ordering criteria that have been developed or endorsed by national professional medical societies, such as the American College of Radiology (ACR) or American College of Cardiology (ACC).
These changes will be required beginning January 1, 2022, but we are recommending referrers begin consulting these criteria now in order to have the new processes integrated into your clinical practice before the requirements kick in. Beginning January 1, processing of imaging orders could be delayed if information supplied is incomplete.
What you need to know:
- You may already use an integrated clinical decision support system (CDSM) in your own electronic medical system that satisfies the federal mandate. If so, no additional action is required.
- If not, the Michigan Medicine Provider Portal facilitates compliant ordering of advanced diagnostic imaging. The portal requires a one-time registration and can streamline the ordering process, avoiding a potential disruption in patient care.
The Using Clinical Decision Support for Informed Imaging Choices PDF provides additional background and tips for using a CDSM for advanced image orders.
We are committed to partnering to support your practice during the implementation process. Please contact M-LINE at 800-962-3555 for additional information or assistance.