That’s the news from Becker’s Hospital Review, which published 70 Hospitals With Great Cardiology. The list is compiled on the basis of clinical accolades, quality care and contributions to the field of cardiology. Becker’s emphasizes that hospitals cannot pay to get on the list.

We don’t have room to feature all 70 hospitals, so we’ll highlight a few details about one in each major region of the U.S.

New England:  Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Boston, Mass.). The Hospital’s Carl J. and Ruth Shapiro Cardiovascular Center provides private rooms and a separate sleeping area for families. Patrick T. O’Gara, the center’s executive medical director, recently received the American Heart Association’s Paul Dudley White award for his commitment to patient care and his contributions to the AHA.

Mid-Atlantic: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia). Comprehensive cardiology services, from consulting to heart transplantation, are available at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Heart and Vascular. The hospital also conduct research through the Penn Cardiovascular Institute, which has seven research programs.

Southeast: Boca Raton (Fla.) Regional Hospital. Boca Raton Regional Hospital’s Christine E. Lynn Heart & Vascular Institute opened in 2006. Two years later, the hospital opened its Advanced Arrhythmia Center, one of only a few facilities in the region that offers the mini-maze procedure.

West South Central: St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital (Houston). The Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital is home to a center for coronary artery anomalies and center for heart valve disease. The institute provides heart health education through its Heart Information Center and Library and Learning Resource Center. In 2011, cardiologists at the institute performed a groundbreaking procedure in which a patient’s heart was entirely replaced with two continuous flow ventricular assist devices.

East North Central: Lake Health (Concord, Ohio). In June of this year, Lake Health received the AHA’s Worksite Innovation award, which recognizes organizations that have implemented innovative and effective programs to encourage healthier lifestyles for employees. Its Heart and Vascular Center provides prevention services, early intervention services, and several treatment options.

Midwest: Abbott Northwestern Hospital (Minneapolis, Minn.). The Minneapolis Heart Institute’s OPTIMIST Program — OPTions In Myocardial Ischemic Syndrome Therapy — offers alternative approaches to cardiac care for patients for whom surgery and other traditional treatments do not succeed.

Southwest:  Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center (Phoenix, Ariz.). The Cavanagh Heart Center has cardiac catheterization labs and offers noninvasive, surgical and rehabilitation services. It recently participated in a clinical trial studying a device for transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

West: Scripps Memorial Hospital (La Jolla, Calif.). Scripps Health is currently constructing a new facility that will integrate cardiology programs from several of its healthcare sites. The $456 million Scripps Cardiovascular Institute is expected to open for patients in 2015.

Congratulations to all 70 hospitals!   

To learn more about cardiac imaging and other topics related to medical imaging, subscribe to the Medical Imaging Talk blog via RSS feed or email. Or follow us on Twitter.

Research Demonstrates Savings

Lead researcher, Aaron Sodickson, M.D., Ph.D., interim director of emergency radiology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, maintains that importing images to  Picture Archiving & Communication Systems and Radiology Information Systems (PACS/RIS) from CD-ROMs upon admittance reduces unnecessary imaging exams in emergency rooms. (Source Science Daily.) Another study shows that sharing of electronic data among 12 emergency departments saved $1.9 million in one year by reducing hospital admissions and redundant imaging tests. (Source UPI Health News.)

While there’s a sense of urgency to accelerating the integration of IT into healthcare, the reality is that  medical imaging systems seemingly exist in bubbles inside the hospitals and radiology providers at which they reside: There exists no central repository from which to transfer patient records and medical images electronically to outside organizations. For these cases, a CD with clinical information already loaded and ready for transfer becomes a critical component for emergency care and treatment.

For example, when critically ill patients are transferred from one hospital emergency department to another, it’s common for information to be delayed or, even, to go missing. With the ability to import data containing the patient’s diagnostic medical images via PACS/RIS, hospitals may be able to significantly reduce unnecessary medical imaging tests, some of which would expose patients to radiation unnecessarily.

“One of the goals of our healthcare delivery system must be to provide access to diagnostic imaging results to all locations involved in a patient’s care, either through implementation of a universal electronic medical record, image repositories, or robust image transfer networks,” Dr. Sodickson said.

“But until those solutions reach maturity, ensuring that medical images can be downloaded from CDs in a standard, PACS-compatible format will help to streamline care, reduce costs and protect patients from unnecessary imaging exams.”

To learn more about PACS/RIS solutions and other topics related to diagnostic imaging, subscribe to the Medical Imaging Talk blog via RSS feed or email. Or follow us on Twitter.

Collaborative software is designed to help people involved in a common task achieve goals. This type of software helps facilitate teams that work together, whether it is within the same building or even over geographic distances. Collaborative software provides tools that aid communication, sharing information, task assignments, time-management, and shared calendars.

Picture archiving and communication system (PACS) management solutions enable health care providers to acquire, distribute and archive medical images and diagnostic reports throughout the hospitals or clinic. PACS integrates with RIS to create an incorporated RIS/PACS environment that improves workflow and efficiency, not only within the radiology department, but with the rest of the hospital or clinical environment.

What are some of the collaborative benefits of RIS PACS systems for radiology?

• Streamlined workflow through electronic medical imaging records
• Enhanced quality of clinical care and patient safety through faster information transmission
• Better clinical decision making through the easy availability of more comprehensive patient records
• Improved diagnoses by providing referring physicians with patient images as part of a complete medical record
• Augmented productivity to help improve clinical, financial and operational outcomes

To learn more about PACS and RIS news and information, subscribe to the Medical Imaging Talk blog via RSS feed or email. Or follow us on Twitter.

According to this article from Nursezone.com, quite a lot.

The article reminds us that the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) has characterized seven stages of healthcare information technology adoption, from having digital laboratory, radiology and pharmacy systems (Stage 1) to fully electronic medical records with full digital communication with a PACS and a clinical data repository (CDR) (Stage 7).

According to HIMSS, adopting an EHR system isn’t enough. It eventually has to be integrated into a medical facility’s entire operation. Having a PACS that is compatible with the EHR is a crucial step because it allows for images to be seen on demand in all parts of the facility, not just radiology. Healthcare facilities that integrate their PACS with their EHRs are at Stage 4 of healthcare information technology adoption.

The article notes that because of stimulus funds, adoption of EHRs is on the rise. But it also notes that very few healthcare facilities – only 0.3 percent in 2008 – are at Stage 7, and many only have a simple EHR system and electronic prescription order entries . For PACS suppliers, then, there’s a big market out there. And in 10 years, when a majority of healthcare facilities will be past Stage 4 of health information technology adoption, there will be an equally big market for PACS upgrades and replacements.

What’s after Stage 7? HIMSS has not created a Stage 8 yet, but if it does, it will most likely include voice recognition technology, radio frequency identification (to locate equipment quickly), and maybe even new technologies that help medical personnel manage complicated treatments.

For more on PACS and other medical imaging news, subscribe to this blog.

Designed for busy medical imaging professionals, this online conference will share the latest advancements in Picture Archiving & Communication Systems (PACS), including:

• Data migration and vendor-neutral archiving
• Critical results reporting
• An update on meaningful use
• Legal issues in PACS

After each session at this virtual event there will be Q&A sessions with the speakers, an opportunity to visit exhibitor booths, participate in surveys, and time to network with your peers and other radiology professionals.

Event and registration details may be found below:

RADExpo2012: Spring PACS Symposium
Hosted by Aunt Minnie
Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. EDT.

Registration is free, and you’ll be able to preview the conference before you register.

To stay up to date on the latest imaging news and announcements, subscribe to the Medical Imaging Talk blog via RSS feed or email, follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook.

But the reaction by radiologists has been mixed and even contradictory. Some thought the images available via a tablet wouldn’t be sharp enough to rely on for accurate diagnoses – they’d rely instead on their workstations. Others thought the personal device images might, in some situations, be better than their workstations.

The views were captured in separate articles in Applied Radiology and Radiology Today magazines about mobile medical imaging.

In the latter publication, the chief technology officer of MIMS Software, Mark Cain, detailed a case in which tablets loaded with the app could be extremely valuable. As a patient is being rushed into emergency care, surgeons could look at medical images right away instead of waiting to load a CD. That would allow them to determine if it’s a Level 1 or Level 2 case and consult with other physicians who also could access the images.

In the same article, Paul J. Chang, MD, FSIIM, a radiology professor and vice chair of radiology informatics at the University of Chicago Medical Center, disparages the quality of the resolution on tablets, smartphones or mobile devices as below that of a workstation.

Conversely, Elliot K. Fishman, MD, FACR, Johns Hopkins University Department of Radiology, Baltimore, MD, says in the Applied Radiology story that smart phones and tablets allow for quicker downloads of images and the images aren’t downsized, as they are on a workstation. In some instances, the personal device would be better than the desk-bound system.

Disagreements on technical capabilities can be resolved easily compared to the debate about how radiologists will interact with their tablets or smartphones when they need to make diagnoses. Chang is worried that some of his peers will get sloppy and think it’s okay to review images while playing golf. He’s worried, too, about his own tendencies, saying if he had a mobile device or tablet at home and got a call for an evaluation at 3 a.m., he’d take a quick look and go back to sleep. Now when he gets such a call, he’s forced to get out of bed and boot up his home-based workstation. The built-in delay forces him to spend more time waking up, which better prepares him for the task at hand, he says.

Dr. Fishman counters that by having ready access to medical images wherever he is, he’s better able to contribute his views to patient care than otherwise.

We’ll continue to follow this issue and report on it as events unfold, and you can keep up to date as well by subscribing to the Medical Imaging Talk blog via RSS feed or email. Or follow us on Twitter.

Take a look at the healthcare providers that were named Health Imaging and IT’s Top 25 Connected Healthcare Facilities. The list includes facilities in big cities (New York’s Montefiore Medical Center) and small towns (Minot, N.D.’s Trinity Health) with winners in every region of the country.

Their medical imaging solutions were both technical and procedural, but they all were toward the top of Health Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) EMR adoption stages. Most were at stage 6 or 7, putting them in the top 4.5 percent of the nation’s medical imaging facilities.

Three of them singled out iPad use as a way of improving performance, part of a trend toward more remote-access options. Voice recognition technology also is playing a larger role. No two solutions looked that much alike, but common benefits were reduced times in sharing images, fewer steps in executing tasks, and lower costs through enhanced efficiencies.

The 2011 winners were announced in Health Imaging and IT’s August edition. And if you really want to get inspired, make your medical imaging system changes within the next several months, then enter your facility for the 2012 Top 25 Connected Healthcare Facilities contest. No word yet on the deadline for the contest, but last year, contestants could submit entries from June 6 to July 1.

Here’s a summary of what 10 of the top 25 achieved.

This May 9-12, 2012, the Society’s 33^rd Annual Scientific Sessions will be held in Boston where leaders in the medical field will share the latest state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment options.  And for the first time ever, we will be in attendance previewing our new workflow solution for electrophysiology (EP) departments.

McKesson Cardiology EP™, scheduled for release this summer, was built with the assistance of dozens of hospitals and electrophysiologists to be the first truly comprehensive workflow, reporting and data management solution for EP labs.  Our new solution is designed to break down the traditional silos in the EP lab by aggregating data from multiple users and systems into a single comprehensive electronic patient record. This comprehensive approach is designed to save hours of physician and staff time, increase lab efficiency, improve data accuracy – and most importantly – help you improve patient care.

Register for this event today, and visit us at booth #1283, to see first-hand how McKesson Cardiology EP™ will help hospitals and health care organizations like yours:

• Support all efforts for compliance with ACC and HRS guidelines
• Identify opportunities for overall performance improvements
• Save valuable time for your physicians by automatically carrying forward existing implantable devices & leads from previous procedures

To stay up to date on the latest imaging news and announcements, subscribe to the Medical Imaging Talk blog via RSS feed or email, follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook.

Radiologists have come to rely on the machines and systems that store and transport patient images and data.  Secure, rapid access of clinical images must be available throughout the healthcare enterprise, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. That means radiologists rely on information technology staff to upgrade, troubleshoot and maintain PACS and other RIS systems.

Radiologists don’t exactly have control over what IT does, however. And between the different specialties, there can be a language barrier, with IT techs knowing more of the technical side, and doctors knowing more about the medical aspects of how they expect the technology to work. It is important for people in both departments to understand their respective relationships and responsibilities as they relate to the digital enterprise in order to enhance their interactions.

One way to enhance communication and cooperation is for techs and radiologists alike to spend time with each other reviewing the PACS/RIS systems. Radiologists may invite an RIS administrator to spend an hour or two watching how they work. Allow the RIS administrator to see how care is delivered via the tools he or she helps to maintain.

The IT staff, in kind, might spend an hour or two displaying some of their knowledge and the system’s capabilities. For example, a PACS administrator could possibly demonstrate some of his or her maintenance duties, system reports or even minor fixes. Together, radiologists and IT administrators can not only establish standards regarding hardware, software and security for PACS and RIS solutions, but cultivate a solid relationship that benefits the workflow of both departments.

Keep up to date on the latest PACS and RIS news and information by subscribing to the Medical Imaging Talk blog via RSS feed or email. Or follow us on Twitter.

Through medical imaging software, radiologists, technologists, administrators and other clinical stakeholders have immediate access to nearly everything they need to manage the diagnostic imaging process with greater efficiency than if they were to cull data from multiple sources.

Say “Goodbye” to Healthcare Silos

The typical single-silo healthcare system provides only a narrow scope of healthcare efficacy for a hospital or department. Given the advent of episodic care and bundled reimbursement, in order to deliver relevant, actionable information, healthcare providers need data integrated from all departments into a single database that can be probed for the specifics of the patient history.

Having all that information from various systems readily available would improve the radiologist’s quality of interpretation, minimize medical billing errors and improve customer satisfaction with better delivery of patient care.

RIS/PACS software solutions typically include a full range of modules for radiology departments and medical imaging facilities of all sizes and complexities to efficiently manage data silos.

Through technology and training, radiologists and other technologists can schedule cross-departmentally, manage orders, offer dictation and signature capabilities, and prep hospital charges. This integrated, feature-rich medical imaging software also makes it possible to import medical images to build a complete electronic health record (EHR) providing the health practitioner actionable information.

Say “Hello” to Your Automated Resident

A digital platform provides health practitioners with complete, deliverable, accessible information to help them become more effectual, without negatively influencing patient care.

Clearly, “anytime, anywhere” access aids compliance and improves operational efficiencies, thereby increasing profitability. When a department can speed up training and improve workflow through an intuitive user interface, it has the potential to boost your bottom line.

Proactive Stance in Medical Imaging

By staying on top of “mission critical” data, the integrity of our platform allows for a more efficient and effective workflow across the entire radiology department. As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, we’re dedicated to taking a proactive stance in addressing future requirements in the medical imaging software arena.

Keep up to date on the latest in medical imaging software news and information by subscribing to the Medical Imaging Talk blog via RSS feed or email. Or follow us on Twitter.