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Each month we provide you with
a feature article. This article is authored by one of our
clinicians. Please direct all comments/questions to
info@cdaradiology.com.
Informatics - Radiology
Leads Medicine Into Cyberspace - Feature 0707
Diagnostic medical imaging has been increasingly thrust into the
forefront of modern medicine. Powerful diagnostic tools such as CT,
MRI, ultrasound and digital radiography give us a window into the
human body and many disease states. Computer workstations have
enabled interactive 3D analysis of the image data. Nuclear medicine
and Positron Emission Tomography facilitate analysis of metabolic
and functional physiology. Angiography and minimally invasive
interventional techniques give the interventional radiologists the
ability to study and access almost any part of the body. The
proliferation of imaging techniques has created the need for rapid
data transfer, data archiving/storage, prompt reporting and written
report documentation.
Unlike some other industries, medicine was not ready for this
information revolution. Most medical systems have traditionally been
developed for targeted purposes. For this reason many
incompatibilities exist in the medical technology world. System
integration has been hugely problematic for many medical
institutions, including some of our greatest university medical
centers. The morass of technologies is ever changing, confusing and
difficult to sort out. In addition, since medicine has traditionally
been a human art, many physicians have been reluctant to adapt to
the newer computerized world and to adopt new systems.
The radiologists at Radiology Associates of North Idaho (RANI)
recognized early on the need for universal electronic transmission
of data, easy access of the images to the ordering physician and
rapid report turnaround. For this reason we embarked early on in a
quest to create a fully integrated image and report informatics
system. The result has been a system that is among the most
sophisticated and coveted in the nation.
 RANI,
its client hospitals and imaging centers adopted Philips Stentor as
its image archiving system. Stentor is a web based, fully secure,
HIPAA compliant system that allows image distribution anywhere
within the network. This system is notable for its user-friendly
interface and its flexibility. Images are easily accessed and viewed
in conjunction with previous studies. Our Stentor system is
integrated with Powerscribe, a sophisticated voice recognition
dictation system and with the hospital information system (Meditech).
The on-line voice recognition systems enables on-the-fly generation
of a written dictated report and couples the written report with the
images and with the patient’s electronic medical record. In the last
few years, we have also populated the cross-sectional modalities
with powerful 3D workstations capable of generating a full array of
color rendering, sophisticated reconstructions, cine images and 3
dimensional movies.
RANI, in conjunction with Kootenai Medical Center, have availed
themselves of a region-wide high speed wireless frequency, reserved
for medical and emergency use, controlled by the Department of
Homeland Security. The very fast transfer speeds allowed us to set
up a multi-nodal workstation system with reading workstations in the
hospitals, in the imaging centers and in the radiologists’ homes.
The end result is seamless information flow and rapid reporting of
the radiographic findings. In the emergency setting, added
diagnostic speed can save lives. Our unique informatics
capabilities, in conjunction with our newest dual source CT scanner
have allowed us to become one of the first centers in the US,
capable of providing 24 hour, emergency CT angiography of the
coronary arteries.
With the installation of our digital mammography project have
completed the migration from the old, film-based environment to a
new, 100% filmless environment. We are also well on the way to a
paperless environment. The individual patient’s studies are
electronically coupled with any pertinent patient medical history
and demographics. This reduces a potential source of human error and
creates a safer and more efficient system. Our friendly scheduling
staff has been equipped with electronic scheduling modules. They are
now able to optimize scheduling slots and to minimize patient
waiting.
RANI is committed to continue to lead radiology in innovation,
quality and service. We will hold to our promise of constantly
seeking ways to improve the quality and the delivery of imaging
services to our patients and referring physicians.
Author
A.J. Martinez, MD
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