One of the most rewarding aspects of the AHRA Partners in Learning program is the opportunity to step outside of one’s own organization and observe how another healthcare system approaches the shared challenges of imaging operations. My experience at University of Cincinnati Medical Center (UC Health) reinforced an important truth: While workflows and structures differ, the core goals of quality, safety, communication, and patient experience remain universal.

What stood out most was not a single initiative, but how UC Health intentionally integrates these priorities into daily practice. Rather than treating quality or safety as separate programs, they are woven into routine operations in a way that supports both frontline staff and leadership.

Quality Embedded Where Work Happens

UC Health’s approach to quality management demonstrates the value of embedding improvement efforts directly into daily workflows. Their CT protocol management process is a strong example. There is a specific CT protocol committee that meets weekly and conducts structured protocol reviews to ensure clarity, consistency, and patient safety. They have protocol reference sheets with clear indicators that support technologists at the frontlines.

Imaging-specific quality issues are categorized, such as staff training, user error, protocol selection, technology, or other factors and tracked over time. This allows trends to be identified and addressed without assigning blame, creating a system that supports learning rather than reaction.

MRI quality and safety is handled similarly through monthly modality‑based meetings. MRI protocols as well as safety indicators are centrally maintained, and equipment quality control is completed at a defined cadence. This modality‑focused structure reinforces shared responsibility and promotes engagement among technologists, radiologists, and leadership.

Making Safety Visible Through Daily Huddles

Participating in a morning daily huddle was one of the most impactful parts of the visit. This brief gathering included report‑outs from across the department and reinforced alignment, communication, and shared responsibility.

The huddle took place in front of a highly effective visual huddle board, which included tracking reminders to use the IMPACT program, safety incidents, clinical engineering issues, call‑off information, and positive call‑outs for good catches, as well as many other visual updates.

One particularly creative element was a tracker highlighting the “Number of Days Doing RIGHT,” reinforcing right patient, right site, right procedure/exam, right medication, and right labeling. Framing safety in this positive way helped normalize consistency and success rather than focusing solely on exceptions.

The team also reinforced the STAR method: stop, think, act, review. As a shared safety framework, it demonstrates how safety principles can be operationalized into everyday habits.

Culture and Communication Through IMPACT

Another standout component is UC Health’s IMPACT program, a communication framework designed to strengthen culture through everyday interactions. IMPACT stands for introduce, make a connection, positive intent, anticipate, communicate, and thank.

What made IMPACT effective was its simplicity and visibility. It was not implemented as a rigid policy, but as a shared mindset that guides how staff interact with patients, peers, and interdisciplinary partners. The program supports professionalism, psychological safety, and teamwork by encouraging positive intent and intentional communication. IMPACT is designed to help individuals make a difference within themselves, their teams, and their departments, an approach that resonated strongly throughout the visit.

Supporting Patient Experience Through Education

UC Health is also invested in patient‑centered education to support a more informed and comfortable imaging experience. The team developed clear, easy‑to‑understand patient brochures that guide patients through what to expect before the scan, on the day of the exam, during the procedure, and afterward.

These materials are enhanced with QR codes linking to short videos that visually walk patients through an MRI or CT exam from start to finish. By showing patients what the experience looks and sounds like, these tools help reduce anxiety, improve preparedness, and support smoother workflows for staff. This approach demonstrates how patient education can simultaneously improve experience, efficiency, and safety.

Key Takeaways

This Partners in Learning experience reinforced several lessons that translate across organizations:

• Embed quality and safety discussions into routine workflows.
• Use visual tools to reinforce culture and priorities.
• Support communication through shared frameworks like IMPACT.
• Invest in patient education to benefit both patients and staff.

Final Reflection 

The AHRA Partners in Learning program highlights the value of peer‑to‑peer observation and shared learning. No single organization has all the answers, but every organization has something to teach. I’m grateful to the UC Health imaging team for their openness and willingness to share. I returned home with new insights that will help strengthen quality, safety, culture, as well as patient experience in my own organization and, I hope, across the broader imaging community.

Editor's Note: Applications to participate in the Partners in Learning program open on October 20, 2026, and close on November 20. The program is designed to give members the opportunity to visit and learn from another healthcare facility, gaining insights into day-to-day issues like patient safety, equipment, and staffing. The program is a learning opportunity for AHRA members to observe best practices from peers at other facilities. It is open to all AHRA members.