AHRA, the association for medical imaging management, has created the Patient First Program funded by an educational grant from Toshiba America Medical Systems.

The Patient First Program will provide grants to hospitals to create programs, training and/or seminars to improve patient care and safety in diagnostic imaging in the areas of CT, MR, ultrasound, x-ray and vascular, as well as develop best imaging practices to share with other hospitals, according to the AHRA and the Tustin, Calif.-based Toshiba.

Patient First applicants will be judged on their plan for a program to improve patient care and safety in imaging and their ability to share best imaging practices. Toshiba and AHRA said the Patient First programs should address one or more of the following:

• Reducing radiation and/or contrast dose
• Improving communication with patients regarding the imaging process
• Improving patient comfort
• Improving the overall clinical pathway

The AHRA said it will award three grants of $7,500. All eligible hospitals are encouraged to apply by completing an application at www.ahraonline.org or www.medical.toshiba.com.

The deadline to apply is Nov. 15.