Anyone who has spent a decade or more in the healthcare industry can attest to the changes that occur in
technology. Within the radiology industry, a big change occurred when compact disc technology hit the scene.
Instead of sharing images on film, radiologists could supply doctors with images burned onto CDs. CDs are extremely portable, easy to mail and have great storage capacity at relatively little cost per CD. However, despite these conveniences, for providers that see hundreds, perhaps even thousands of patients per year, the CDs become a cumbersome task to manage.
Another issue with CD technology is that they are burned in formats that aren’t readable by all providers due to their disparate systems. In such cases, patients are delayed diagnosis and treatment, which means they aren’t getting the best care possible. Furthermore, some providers say that at least a couple times a year the CDs carry a virus that affects the end user.
What has emerged as a far better solution for archiving and sharing medical images is something called Virtual CD. With virtual CD, patients no longer have to carry their medical images on a compact disc from doctor to doctor and risk losing it or worry that the CD is corrupt. Virtual CD involves taking images to the cloud and sharing them through vendor neutral processes over secure Internet connections.
An example of how this is being carried out now is the Kansas Health Image Exchange, which was developed and is managed by OffSite Image Management, Inc. The goal in creating the exchange was to share DICOM data in a cost effective, easy and limitation free fashion. With Virtual CD and the exchange solution, the barriers involving the sharing of medical images are removed, which means the continuity of care is improved drastically. Long-term sustainability of health information is the end result of the exchange.
What makes it all possible is OffSite’s Virtual CD solution. It’s the next generation in image sharing. It is the most advanced cloud image sharing platform to date and effectively replaces any CD burning technology you are currently using. All you need now is a custom URL and you can share your images with anyone. Don’t worry about security – the images are encrypted and password protected so only the people who are authorized to see them will gain access.
Once you have implemented Virtual CD, you can share images with authorized patients, providers and organizations. The images are accessible from anywhere at anytime, and the solution is browser agnostic, which means you aren’t limited to using only Safari, Firefox or Explorer.
Patients are the real winners because they can manage their own records whenever they want. They win again because doctors are also able to quickly and easily access the medical records and provide better care. Patients are reporting better satisfaction ratings and they’re getting better treatment.
We have a focus on offering high quality solutions to rural providers at little cost. For more information about Virtual CD, contact us today.