DICOM, the digital imaging and communications in medicine standard, has done its part in unifying many workflow issues within organizations. For one, it has linked radiology modalities and PACS systems. However, has DICOM done enough to assist healthcare providers? Some would argue that it hasn’t.
Take this real-life example: a patient goes in for a diagnostic test that includes imaging technology. That test revealed that more work would need to be carried out by specialists outside of the facility in which the diagnostic test was done. Shouldn’t you be able to ask that those images be transmitted to the other specialists who need to see them?
Many hospitals are still using CD technology to transmit those images, which is what would probably happen in the above scenario. However, if a CD is burned using Windows software and the patient has a Mac at home, how are they going to open that CD? The issues with CD technology don’t stop there. Many get lost, either by the patient or by someone along the way during the care process. The CDs are also easily damaged. Any of these situations could lead to having the diagnostic test repeated, which is a time and money expense that nobody needs.
How can DICOM step up to assist in this situation? In an ideal world, the healthcare facility would only bring in DICOM technology that is vendor neutral, meaning it wouldn’t matter what system a facility uses – they would always be able to view images. Furthermore, any CD burning technology should also be vendor neutral and not use any proprietary viewers. However, in an ideal world, there would be no need for CD burning technology.
Switching gears to PACS – should every healthcare provider, regardless of how small they are and how little resources they have, be required to implement an expensive PACS system? These providers should be able to handle DICOM images without the need for a PACS. Fortunately, there is something new in the medical imaging field called health image exchange that is giving providers of all sizes the ability to view images from anywhere. Furthermore, the health image exchange is offering more archiving options as well, including those with disaster recovery safeguards.
Rural providers are often finding themselves in a situation where their patients, who have their radiology work done at the local hospital, need to seek care outside the local system. For these rural providers, the health image exchange, or DICOM exchange, help them to transfer their images. Instead of utilizing CD technology, providers can simply contract with vendors of the health image exchange and have images stored and shared safely and securely.
OffSite Image Management, Inc., has established health image exchanges in a handful of states, offering clients some of the most forward-thinking solutions available. Find out more about our approach to how a DICOM exchange should work by contacting us today.