Catherine Leopard and a dedicated multidisciplinary team at Cincinnati Children’s—Alyssa Collins, Natalie Stanescu, Liz Hood, Tony Dandino, Kelsey Meirose and Mark Schweitzer—are leading an innovative effort within Radiology to improve MRI scheduling accuracy and enhance the family experience.
Their recent improvement project focused on one key question: How can we help families make informed decisions about the best anesthesia type—awake or general anesthesia (GA)—for their child’s MRI?
The Challenge
Currently, many MRIs are scheduled with anesthesia, but a significant number of these patients successfully complete their scans awake. These mismatches between scheduling and actual needs can impact appointment access, staffing resources, and overall cost and revenue.
The Approach
To better understand and address this issue, the team conducted a detailed analysis and engaged directly with families:
Partnering for Impact
With more families now scheduling MRIs independently through EPIC/MyChart, the current assessment system—based on three yes/no questions—offers limited educational support. Recognizing this gap, the team collaborated with Marketing and Communications to produce a Cincinnati Children’s–branded educational video designed to empower families with the right information before they schedule.
You can view the video here:
Choosing What’s Right for Your Child: MRI Awake or With Anesthesia
What’s Next
The team is taking the project even further by:
Through thoughtful collaboration and data-driven innovation, Catherine and her colleagues are ensuring that the Radiology department continues to provide compassionate, family-centered care—empowering parents to make informed decisions and improving efficiency across the department.
Glenn Miñano is a media specialist in the Department of Radiology, providing graphic design, photography, printing, video services, and administration of the department’s online properties. His works have been published in several medical articles, such as the American Journal of Radiology and the American Institute of Ultrasound. He has been providing these services to the Radiology Department since 1996.
Kelsey Meirose has joined Cincinnati Children’s Radiology Department as the operations manager for the Radiology Access/Flow team. In this role, she leads a dedicated group that includes reading room assistants (RRAs), patient family engagement specialists, and child life specialists. Kelsey is deeply aligned with Cincinnati Children’s mission of providing compassionate, patient-centered care. She is especially inspired by the institution’s holistic philosophy—one that focuses not only on treating medical needs but also on supporting the whole child and their family. Committed to fostering a positive and supportive experience for every family who enters Radiology, Kelsey brings a strong passion for service, teamwork, and improvement to her work each day.
Meredith Towbin is a freelance copy editor and writer. She has copyedited the Department of Radiology’s blog since it launched. She also works as a copy editor for the home improvement website BobVila.com. Her writing has been featured on HuffPost as well as other writing sites.
