Five stars awarded to the Radiology Department by the European Society of Radiology
Uccle, 18/02/2025 – The Radiology Department of the Europe Hospitals is proud to announce that it has just been awarded five stars by the European Society of Radiology (ESR) as part of the EuroSafe Imaging Stars campaign. A quality label in the field of radiation protection that only the Europe Hospitals have obtained in French-speaking Belgium and Brussels to date.
EuroSafe Imaging Stars was designed to identify and reward medical imaging departments that have the best practices in radiation protection for patients and are committed to putting into practice the principles recommended by the European Society of Radiology.
5 stars for all criteria
To obtain this label, it was necessary to meet 24 quality criteria classified into five sections: mandatory criteria (e.g. the existence of protocols, incident reporting, etc.), additional criteria (e.g. justification of patient exposure to ionising radiation, multidisciplinary work, etc.), quality improvement initiatives, research and regulatory compliance.
‘We therefore had to prove, for example, that our procedures were up to scratch, that we were working with the right people in the right place with the right machines,’ explains Dr Pieter Waer, head of the radiology department at the Europe Hospitals, who led the project for the institution in collaboration with Dimitri Deconinck, head of technologists, and Tiago Mateus, quality coordinator.
A label as an extension of the JCI accreditation
Dr Waer looks back at the journey taken to obtain this label. ‘Obtaining this label was already one of our ambitions before the Covid-19 pandemic. It was a long process, delayed in part by the pandemic and a reorganisation within the ERS, lasting a total of more than five years. In fact, this label is the realisation of our continued efforts to collaborate with technologists and the Quality department, as an extension of JCI(1) accreditation, but more specifically for radiation protection.'
The radiologist added: ‘We are very proud of this new award because it is the result of teamwork, which was made possible thanks to the support of the management and representatives of the medical profession via the Medical Investment Fund, who have always supported quality and the purchase of cutting-edge equipment. We are fortunate, for example, to have two state-of-the-art scanners at each of the two sites.'
Investments in continuous improvement and quality
This award reflects the institution's commitment to the continuous improvement of practices for the radiation protection of patients and the search for the optimisation of quality care. This label is valid for three years, i.e. until January 2028.
(1)The Europe Hospitals have been accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI) since 9 February 2024, an international quality label for hospitals that remains valid for three years. With a success rate of over 99% for measurable elements, the Europe Hospitals can pride themselves on having achieved the highest distinction and are currently the only JCI-accredited hospital in Brussels. This accreditation is a guarantee of quality and safety for patients, their families and all hospital staff, and also recognises the professionalism of the institution in its organisation.
