The paper trail has dwindled, and for a majority of healthcare providers, the digital transformation is almost complete. There are still some medical imaging specialists though, who long ago embraced storing images on CDs and were at the forefront of digitization (among other technologies), that haven’t completed the transformation yet, holding on to what is now antiquated and workflow disruptive technology.
It’sdifficult to even find a computer sold today with a disc drive in it. Even new cars are replacing the CD in the stereo system with wireless technology, such as blue tooth or Apple CarPlay. Saddling patients with CDs carrying their medical imaging files is not a way to improve your customer service scores, because these discs are notoriously slow to work with.
The once spacious shelves packed full of spools of blank CDs are no longer a thing, which means the discs, which are not yet “difficult to find,” are making their way in that direction. And what about the reliability factor of the burning technology? A patient might end up at a specialist’s office with a disc in hand, only to find out it wasn’t burned correctly. Lost, stolen and damaged discs are also a frequent problem.
Improving Sharing
Patient portals have emerged as a way to up the ante on customer-centric perks that lead to better overall user experiences. However, there are still a majority of patients who say that while they’re enjoying the patient portal experience, they’re not always able to gain access to imaging.
Perhaps more importantly, conferring physicians are also having issues gaining access to images. Proprietary technology is often the culprit. More needs to be done to improve the methods through which images and other data are shared, yet maintain a security protocol that doesn’t compromise anyone’s health records.
Cloud PACS
Working with the latest DICOM standards, quality vendors are developing methods through which medical imaging service providers can better organize their workflow, store images and share them using the latest technology, not CD burners.
At OffSite Image Management, we offer a PACS solution that helps our clients focus on helping their business operate more efficiently, giving easy access to patient exams and data at multiple locations at any time.
Our approach includes many perks, including zero administration responsibilities on the part of the client, browser agnostic viewer technology, automation and annual software upgrades. Contact us and let’s talk about how we can make a difference in your daily tasks.
