Meaningful Use (MU) objectives are influencing how radiologists approach their workflow. The latest phase, which
includes requirements regarding when electronic reports must be available to patients, has definitely impacted the way radiologists and IT professionals are thinking about enterprise archive compatibility.
The enterprise archive is a long-term storage solution that is capable of managing data from multiple departments and/or unique imaging facilities. Likewise, there is a focus on DICOM enterprise archive, which is all about long-term data storage that goes enterprise-wide and focuses primarily on DICOM data objects.
Most radiologists require some support when it comes to approaching new technologies, new compliance regulations and providing excellent patient care. One organization that focuses on supporting radiologists are the experts at the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS).
This non-profit organization is dedicated to improving healthcare quality, safety, cost-effectiveness, and access. HIMSS looked at some trends that should be impacting the healthcare industry. Something of note in recent trends includes applied radiology, or AR. For healthcare providers, including radiologists who are bothered by the MU requirements, HIMSS is trying to assist with workflow issues.
Specialists are transitioning from paper-based records to EHRs, and HIMSS is offering a group of tools and recourses to assist providers with their transition and in meeting MU requirements. When carried out correctly, EHRs can assist in proving better patient care because communication between departments should be improved.
What most radiologists are keeping an eye on as they try to improve services and implement an enterprise archive strategy (while also staying in compliance with regulations) is technology that embraces the DICOM standard. They are also looking for solutions that work across disparate systems, which means they’re in need of true vendor neutral archiving (VNA) solutions.
DICOM is the network protocol that has been in use for years and has worked to allow medical professionals to transmit images and waveforms. Establishing a method whereby these images can be transmitted without regard to the systems that each individual department or facility is running is of upmost importance now. With facilities running proprietary systems, the transmission of images, even from department to department, can be a hassle. These are facilities that might still be relying on CD burning technology to transmit images.
There are better technologies available today that give providers the ability to move away from antiquated workflow processes that involve CD burning. Vendors are focused on offering cloud-based services that are completely vendor neutral and rely on a secure URL to transmit images and data to qualified, authorized physicians, radiologists and specialists.
OffSite Image Management offers solutions that are completely in line with the DICOM standard and with enterprise archive workflow strategies that keep radiologists and medical IT personnel in the loop and patients in excellent hands. Our solutions are user friendly, reasonably priced and perfect for rural providers that have for too long been out of arms reach from customizable solutions that are delivered through the cloud.