ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses how the customer fits into the total quality concept. Quality has many facets but can be defined as meeting or exceeding the needs and expectations of the customer, delighting the customer, and providing what he or she wants or needs. Identification of the customer is the first step in the quality improvement process. Understanding the customer’s opinion regarding quality of services is an essential part of quality improvement. Characteristics of the radiology service that are important to the customer constitute quality characteristics. This is how the customer would identify his or her needs and expectations regarding radiology service. The chapter provides a review of the science of diagnostic imaging in disease populations. Diagnostic examinations must undergo rigorous testing to determine their ability to detect abnormality. In the spirit of continuous improvement, diagnosticians should also undergo continual self-assessment to improve their ability to detect abnormality.
