For those who have yet to make a move from compact discs (CDs) to electronic medical imaging technology, the time to step up to a new and more efficient way of managing images is now.
Accounts from radiology departments that have made the switch to electronic imaging from CDs report saving as much as 25-minutes in trauma cases where time is of the essence. Even if it isn’t a “life or death” situation, getting information fast is in everyone’s best interest.
One of the biggest pain points in using CD technology is that if a disc is burned in one facility, it might not interoperate in a viewer at a different facility. This puts up a roadblock that can limit patient care and can lead to repeat image studies.
Even if the technology is interoperable, CDs are easy to scratch or crack, which means they’re not going to be readable. There’s also the matter that untold numbers have been lost or stolen, which can present a HIPAA risk.
Going Electronic and Vendor Neutral
To be truly interoperable, you have to side-step a variety of other challenges as well, which is why using electronic and often cloud-based technology is preferable. Some electronic mediums miss out on the proprietary problem, which means that while they’re offering a positive move away from medical imaging stored and shared via CDs, they’re still presenting roadblocks in how the electronic images can be viewed.
Vendor neutral archiving (VNA) in its truest form offers the following:
- Non-proprietary technology that allows all objects to be stored in a format that is understood by all, which would be part of DICOM part 102
- True VNA supports the most inclusive DICOM query/retrieve specification
- The technology can handle ADT updates to the image files stored in the archive
- It has the ability to store the complete suite of DICOM SOP classes, including presentation states and key image notes
With the right vendor behind you, you can work with vendor neutral data that will integrate seamlessly into the patients’ electronic medical records. Again, this is a way to improve the workflow, because automating these tasks can bring about a lot of efficiencies that save on time and money, but most importantly, improve patient care.
Partner With the Right Vendor
At OffSite Image Management, we cater to providers that are in the most need of services that ease their IT load and improve their ability to provide seamless patient care without all the hassles. In fact, we can even save you money while providing you with advanced radiology services. Contact us and find out more how we deliver medical imaging technology that will improve your workflow and fit your budget.