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IAC Newsletter

What's Online: A Closer Look
YOUR PERSONAL GUIDE TO ONLINE ACCREDITATION
Autumn 2008

In September 2007, the ICANL was the first IAC division to launch Online Accreditation, the new web-based application recently made available by the IAC. Based on the success of the ICANL model, the ICACTL and ICAMRL divisions subsequently launched versions of Online Accreditation in June and July of 2008. The momentum provided by the rollout of these first three applications will continue throughout the year with the release of Online Accreditation by ICAEL and ICAVL in November and December, respectively. Though each of the IAC divisions maintain distinct and separate standards and application content, the overall integrated system provides a unified format whereby all users will benefit from a consistent approach to completing and submitting an application for any of the five divisions.

This article is designed to provide definitions and terms used when describing the online application as well as discuss key portions of the program.

Online versus Electronic Applications

The Online Accreditation system is entirely web-based. A user may log into any computer anywhere, at any time, to work on the online application. An entirely web-based (Internet) application also allows a user to purchase materials, store current accreditation data, and complete and submit an accreditation application for one or more IAC divisions. This marks a vast improvement over the electronic application currently used by the ICAVL and ICAEL, provided on CDs that must be downloaded to a computer, completed and submitted using Internet access. Additionally, the online application has many advantages, such as direct links to the corresponding Standards and instructional language to assist applicants in the completion of the application.

Often referred to simply as the online application, the system is composed of two key elements. The Lab Profile is what all users see immediately after logging in, and Applications, or the application questionnaire section, refers to the set of questions specific to division/modality to be completed and submitted for the appropriate application deadline.

The Lab Profile, or Main Portion of the Online Accreditation System

Laboratories come in all sizes and combinations of staff, imaging modalities, locations and equipment. The Lab Profile contains all of the essential information about the laboratory. A feature of the main side is that the information that resides there may be changed and updated at any time. The Main page includes the primary lab demographics and an overview of the lab or entity. For labs that wish to apply as multiple sites or with mobile components, a series of qualifying questions are presented.

A number of links appear across the top of the Lab Profile screen, including Main, Welcome, Applications, Manage Users, Manage Staff, Manage Sites, and Manage Equipment. Throughout the Lab Profile, red asterisks (*) indicate required fields. Prompts and other helpful information appear at the top of or throughout the different pages to assist the user.

There are several ways that a laboratory may maintain all or several imaging modalities in the lab profile as one entity with a single unique laboratory ID. Groups that have an existing account in the online portal are facilities that have already previously paid the online access fee for ICANL, ICACTL and/or ICAMRL Online Accreditation. Labs that have paid the materials fee for either the ICAVL or the ICAEL application materials may choose to contain all information in a single application using Online Accreditation. For labs or entities that wish to incorporate all divisions applications under one laboratory identity, please contact the IAC office or email online-app-help@intersocietal.org.

Review of online accreditation information and access to an FAQ page is made available via the Welcome link. The information included under the Manage Users and Manage Staff links is described in more detail below.

Who’s Who: Distinguishing Users From Staff

Manage Users and Manage Staff are two very important links or areas listed on the Main page in the Lab Profile portion of the online system. Users are vital to the application process because they are defined as those who must access and enter data in order to complete and submit an application. Many laboratories currently have only one application administrator user listed; this person may be the sole application administrator or completer. It is important that laboratories realize that they may list as many people as users as desired. Persons entered as General Users have access to every area of Online Accreditation for the lab except the Manage Users page. It is highly recommended that all labs diversify their user list. User IDs and passwords are to be kept private. In the event that a listed user is no longer with the group, or the services of a consultant are no longer needed, another user will need to maintain and update the online application. An individual cannot gain access to a laboratory’s application without first being listed as an active user with a valid user name and password.

Manage Staff includes listings of all directors, medical staff and technical staff for a lab. For the application questionnaire to be populated with the appropriate personnel, the Manage Staff table must be completed. When assigning staff roles, it is important that the ‘Use As Director’ box in Manage Staff is checked for all Technical and Medical Director(s) of a particular division. Another feature available under Manage Staff is the ability of users to enter and track all continuing education for the listed personnel. To update continuing education, simply log in, select Manage Staff, then select Edit next to the individual’s name that you wish to modify. Scroll to the bottom of the screen to view the table in which modality-specific CME/CE hours may be entered.