The impact of switching from fee-for-service to VBC on your enterprise imaging strategy

The shift from fee-for-service (FFS) to value-based care (VBC) plays out in many ways throughout healthcare, including medical imaging technology. But because radiology has its own guiding principles, it is unique in its reaction to this shift.

“Imaging does not naturally fit into many of the outcomes-driven, value-based models,” said Dr. James Whitfill, addressing attendees at SIIM 2017.

Fortunately, new guidelines and technologies have emerged to help radiology support the shift to Value-Based Care.

Supporting standards for medical imaging studies

The use of standards of appropriateness for ordering imaging studies can be bolstered through decision-support systems for ordering advanced imaging studies such as CT, PET, and MRI. The systems can help weigh the risk factors involved in dose as well as the potential benefit of the study.

The American College of Radiology’s position on this point is clear: “No imaging exam should be performed unless there is a clear medical benefit that outweighs any associated risk.”

The ACR has developed  Appropriateness Criteria® (AC): “evidence-based guidelines to assist referring physicians and other providers in making the most appropriate imaging or treatment decision for a specific clinical condition.” The ACR’s updated guidelines are available here.

Additionally,  Carestream’s zero-footprint Universal viewer—which facilitates image sharing within and between provider organizations and patient portals—can help reduce or eliminate unnecessary duplication of studies.

Structured reports inform patient care decisions

Report quality also can play a part in radiology’s shift to VBC. Using standardized nomenclature in reports and embedded links to key findings in image data can help referring physicians make faster decisions on patient care. Reports with standardized nomenclature can feed an analytics engine that provides powerful support for radiology decisions.

In a recent article, Dr. Martí-Bonmatí cites the study of steatohepatitis as an example: “In addition to analyzing images to detect the presence of associated lesions and the presence of morphological alterations, radiologists will have the result of the fat fraction and liver iron deposition (mean values, range, percentiles) that were obtained with appropriate MultiEco MR sequences with chemical shift (MECSE). These and other values will be available in the patient’s history and radiological databases for study.”

Documentation regarding dose management, monitoring, and reporting standards will help physicians determine treatment and follow-up recommendations for many conditions.

Clinical analytics can reduce errors, improve quality, and increase productivity

Carestream’s enterprise imaging platform (Vue Clinical Collaboration Platform) incorporates analytics that can have a positive impact on quality, regulation, and compliance, and it can help orchestrate workflow around the most urgent priorities.

Carestream partners with Zebra Medical Vision to power image analysis with advanced AI to provide an automated alert for conditions for which the population is at risk. For example: a large population of U.S. patients is at risk for osteoporosis. Preventive care has been proven to reduce second fractures by up to 40 percent. But typically, the condition is not identified until after the first fracture has occurred.

Clearly, earlier identification would permit better healthcare. The solution: Use a fully automated algorithm that screens existing CTs and identifies scans with abnormally low bone density. With embedded analytics, an alert for below-normal dexa T would be provided as part of a standard chest study. This immediate risk stratification tool can increase short-term revenue as well as reduce long-term costs.

Also, Carestream’s system is designed to measure clinical quality and document progress, and will be able to find reporting errors and discrepancies in real-time.

The role of analytics in radiology operations

Analytics also can be applied to the business and operation of radiology. Comparison of one area to another, metrics on how priority reads are proceeding, where there are backlogs, and where there is availability are useful metrics. These operational details can be set up in a dashboard for a quick snapshot of an entire business, or a comparison of one department versus another. Technology also can be monitored with alerts, downtime flagged, and problems identified.

As radiology continues the journey to value-based care, we expect the role of analytics to continue to grow.  #healthIT  #enterpriseimaging

Learn more about Carestream’s Clinical Collaboration Platform on our website, or watch the video! And read the blog by NYU Winthrop Hospital on the Enterprise Imaging Platform of the Future.

Thierry Verstraete is the project lead manager for Carestream’s Clinical Solutions and Analytics.

The post Medical Imaging Technology to Support Value-Based Care appeared first on Everything Rad.

Another week, another issue of Diagnostic Reading to provide with a few articles to read in case you missed them this week. The focus of these articles is on social media to promote research, medical identity theft trends, big data and artificial intelligence, regulatory changes for medical imaging, and optimizing hospital radiology.

1) Social Media Boosts Awareness of New Research – AuntMinnie

The Journal of the American College of Radiology  released a report which found that a blog post promoted on social media generated more than 10 times the page views of research articles published online in two peer-reviewed journals.

2) Medical Identity Theft Hits All-Time High – Healthcare IT News

A majority of medical identity theft victims can expect to pay upwards of $13,500 to resolve the crime. Also, about 50% of consumers say they would find another healthcare provider if they were concerned about the security of their medical records.

3) As Big Data Grows, the Need for AI Comes into Focus – Healthcare IT News

“By 2020, there will be 200 times more data than any physician can absorb,” according to Dr. Anthony Chang, a pediatric cardiologist. “And its doubling every two years.” In a keynote address at the National Healthcare Innovation Summit, he talked about “Intelligence-as-a-Service,” a network that could make it possible for doctors to tap into knowledge from specialists anywhere when they encounter a medical situation that is not responding to treatment.

4) Ready, Set, Go: Regulatory Changes Ahead for Medical Imaging – Radiology Business Journal

“Today, regulatory changes occur all year long, and—in addition to the incredible amount of work required to manage the department, imaging center or practice—it is almost impossible to keep abreast of them. Most administrators are not prepared for all of the changes coming in the next 2 years.”

5) The Mission to Optimize Hospital Radiology – Radiology Business Journal

Radiology Business Journal spoke with radiology leaders at five different health systems to understand how they are optimizing radiology to lower costs and improve care quality. Standardizing care protocols, centralizing operations and creating physician–administrator “dyads” to drive change are key strategies.

The post Diagnostic Reading #32: Five Must-Read Articles from the Past Week appeared first on Everything Rad.

While I write a lot about medical imaging technology and how new technology can and should work, it is not often that I get to experience how things actually work in the real world. This past Thanksgiving I received a call from a paramedic explaining that my mom had fractured her leg and I should stop working on the turkey and fixings and rush to the emergency department (ED) at Edward Hospital in Naperville, Ill. She had been walking her dog on wet grass and leaves in a park when her dog took off after another dog and pulled her down. She was whipped around and the change in weight caused her to dislocate her ankle (the bottom of her shoe was facing her when she looked at her feet) and caused a spiral fracture to her fibula.

A bedside screen shot of a Carestream DRX mobile X-ray in the ED of the fractured fibula.

When I got there my mom was already heavily sedated due to the pain and because the ED staff had already put her ankle back in place. The ED doctor ordered a digital radiograph (DR) of her leg to see the extent of damage. They wheeled in a new Carestream DRX mobile X-ray system and I had a live demonstration of how fast these types of systems can snap the pictures. It called up the images immediately on the machine’s screen. The image of the Pott’s fracture with fragments was really interesting as someone who covers radiology, but I also realized from a non-clinical standpoint she was really messed up and in pain. Additionally, she would need reconstructive surgery to put her Humpty Dumpty leg back together again. She was way up the creek without a paddle with it being Thanksgiving and there were no orthopedic surgeons in staff due to the holiday. The day after Thanksgiving was not much better, as we found, since most physicians were out through the following Monday. So the ER splinted the leg, wrapped it in ace bandages and sent her home with heavy pain killers.

Compounding her mobility issues was the fact that she has bilateral knee replacements. Due to the trauma, broken bone and knowing she had these implants that further limited her ability to move around, she was prescribed a prophylactic anticoagulant.

Knowing we would need the images for a surgeon to review, I had the ED burn a CD. However, I was happy to find

The post-surgical X-ray showing the bone repair, which was accessed and copied by the patient using a patient portal.

Edward is among the growing number of hospitals to grant patients access to their health records via a DR Systems Internet image/results distribution system. This technology pulls images and reports from the hospitals’ Epic EMR (electronic medical record) system and makes them available for remote viewing by clinicians outside of the hospital’s picture archiving and communication system (PACS). She also was given login instructions at discharge for a patient portal so she could access her records and images herself on a home computer or smartphone.

We managed to find one orthopedic surgeon in their office on the Friday after Thanksgiving. They thought it was great that we had a CD, but before attempting to open it, they asked which hospital she had been at. Edward was already in a health information exchange, so outlying offices such as this one from a different medical group could access her records remotely in less than a minute. They were able to call up her images and see what meds she was prescribed, which made the office visit go much faster.

She had surgery on Dec. 1, the Tuesday of RSNA 2015. The orthopedic surgeon practiced at Elmhurst Hospital in Elmhurst, Ill., across the county from Naperville. But, thanks to the remote image viewing system, they could get the ED images for reference and planning. The surgeon’s post-surgery DR image showing the reconstruction of the fibula also was available via my mom’s patient portal.

She did what most patients today do with this type of access and posted her X-rays on Facebook. Leveraging the Facebook form of patient engagement, the result was lots of sympathy, flowers and friends volunteering to help her with things around the house and groceries since she cannot walk or drive for at least two months.

While an unfortunate incident and a horrible thing to have happen to my mom, from a professional standpoint, I was happy to see the technology I cover working in the real world as it was intended. The speed in workflow efficiency, speed and ease of access to her imaging at the point of care and remotely, and access to a patient portal are all examples of how the healthcare system should work. In this case, the technology and imaging integration was flawless.

Dave Fornell, ITN Editor

Reposted from Imaging Technology News (ITN) with permission.

To learn more about the CARESTREAM DRX-Revolution, click here.

The post X-rays and Mom — Case Study into the State of Imaging Technology appeared first on Everything Rad.

This week’s diagnostic reading articles describe the need to deploy enterprise image viewers, growing adoption of telemedicine tools by healthcare providers, changes expected in data security, cloud and mobile technologies, why radiologists need to lead change and how patient-centric care can result in shorter perceived wait times and greater satisfaction.

• Enterprise Image Viewing Still Lags Among Providers – Health Data Management

Providers have more work to do to expand enterprise image viewing, which gives clinicians the ability to quickly view patient images without limitations on where they can view them, according to the results of a new HIMSS Analytics survey. The survey of 144 hospital, health system and ambulatory PACS/radiology leaders, follows a similar study conducted by HIMSS Analytics in late 2014 to gauge trends in provider adoption of enterprise image viewing. Less than half of respondents indicated that they use an enterprise image viewer to meet their diagnostic imaging needs.

• Telehealth: Connecting with patients for better outcomes – Health Management Technology

Telemedicine tools like smartphones, two-way video, email, and wearable technology are becoming increasingly common in many healthcare settings. In 2014, HIMSS led a study that found that 46 percent of more than 400 hospitals and medical practices said they used at least one type of telemedicine. Additionally, the Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine (AIHM) found that 33 percent of U.S. healthcare practitioners offered healthcare services via telephone, video, or webcam visits, and another 29 percent planned to do so in the next few years.

• Six Changes to Expect in Data Security, Cloud and Mobile Tech – Health Data Management

Several industry analysts have forecast that 2016 will be the ‘year of action’ on many technology fronts, as several recent trends become commonplace strategies. Cloud computing, data security and mobile are tops among them. This article contains six predictions for what we can expect in 2016 on the mobile technology and cloud computing fronts.

• Radiologists need to lead change – Diagnostic Imaging

Frank Lexa, MD, MBA, radiology residency director for Drexel University College of Medicine, calls upon radiologists to lead change “because if you let someone make changes who doesn’t understand what we do, it will be damaging to our industry and to your patients.” He advises radiologists to pick one project in one location, and demonstrate its value before spreading any alterations elsewhere.

• Patient-centric rad departments have shorter perceived wait times – Radiology Business

Focusing on a patient’s satisfaction can lead to shorter perceived wait times and higher patient satisfaction, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology. Anna Holbrook, MD, Emory University School of Medicine, and colleagues studied questionnaires completed by 147 MR outpatients who had received care from a radiology department in which “patient experience” was a stated strategic priority. The authors found patients often believed the wait time was almost half what it actually was and were satisfied with the experience.

The post Diagnostic Reading #2: Five Must Read Articles from the Past Week appeared first on Everything Rad.

Several top news sources recently published articles that contain helpful insights for radiology and healthcare IT professionals.

This diagnostic reading articles describe how the Internet and mobile technologies have led to higher patient expectations, why radiologists need to maintain good relationships with other clinicians and patients to be effective, nine trends to watch in 2016, patient opinions on acceptable ways to share their health information and the latest tactics being employed for cancer detection and treatment.

• Patients demand more personalized treatment – Healthcare IT News

Eight-nine percent of healthcare providers say technology has changed patient expectations, according to a recent EMC report. Respondents to the survey, which polled 236 healthcare leaders from 18 countries, said more than half of their patients wanted faster access to services. 45 percent wanted 24/7 access and connectivity and 42 percent wanted access on more devices. Another 47 percent said they wanted “personalized” experiences.

• How radiologists can get along with everyone – Diagnostic Imaging

While office colleagues are integral to a radiologist’s success, they can’t be the only other players to comprise the team. To be truly effective, radiologists must cultivate and maintain open relationships with other stakeholders – referring physicians, hospitals, technologists, and, most importantly, patients.

• The year ahead in radiology: 9 trends to watch in 2016 – Auntminnie

What does the year ahead hold for radiology? From a growing reliance on big data for improved efficiency to the emergence of 3D printing as a clinical tool, medical imaging will continue to experience the constant evolution that is a hallmark of the specialty.

• Patients struggle with sharing health information online, cite privacy concerns, breaches, Pew report says – Healthcare IT News

Just over half of Americans feel it would be acceptable for doctors to use health information websites to manage patient records, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Another 20 percent of respondents said it would depend on the scenario. Just 26 percent said this type of data sharing was unacceptable. “It depends on exactly what records are shared,” one respondent said. “It would have to be a very secure site for me to trust it. Scheduling appointments online wouldn’t bother me though.”

• War on cancer, take two – Modern Healthcare

President Nixon launched the first war on cancer in 1971. The past 40+ years have brought greater understanding of cancer’s genomics and mortality rates have dropped by 23% since 1991. Yet industry experts remain cautious about finding a cure.

The post Diagnostic Reading #3 – Five Must Read Articles from the Past Week appeared first on Everything Rad.

Our Diagnostic Reading Top Picks.

This week’s articles describe the high priority radiologists place integrating PACS with an EHR, expected growth for the global ultrasound market, patients’ desire for personalized treatment, Radiology Today’s top picks for areas within the imaging space that promise the greatest innovations and a study that indicates mentally demanding activities may play an important role in maintaining a healthy brain.

• Piecing together patient data: Integrated EHR a high priority for radiologists – Radiology Business

With such a wide variety of PACS and electronic health records (EHRs) in the marketplace, decision-makers at hospitals and private practices have a lot to consider when purchasing new equipment. If they want to keep their radiologists happy, they may want to make sure the PACS can be properly integrated with the EHR. According to a recent study published by the Journal of the American College of Radiology, an integrated EHR is a bigger priority to radiologists than having access to the most advanced clinical features.

• Global ultrasound market expected to grow 5% by 2021 – Auntminnie

The global ultrasound market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5% between 2015 and 2021, according to a new report by Research and Markets. Growth is driven by various factors such as an increase in the number of cancer patients, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and other lifestyle-oriented diseases, and in birth rates and awareness of the utility of ultrasound.

• 5 healthcare imperatives as patients demand more personalized treatment – Healthcare IT News

Eight-nine percent of healthcare providers say technology has changed patient expectations, according to a recent EMC report. Respondents to the survey, which polled 236 healthcare leaders from 18 countries, said more than half of their patients want faster access to services, 45 percent want 24/7 access and connectivity and 42 percent want access on more devices. Another 47 percent said they want “personalized” experiences.

• Less Sizzle, More Steak: 5 Things to Watch in 2016 – Radiology Today

Health care reform is ongoing and new things always crop up in imaging. Our top picks to watch for in 2016 include workflow, cone beam CT, imaging outside the radiology department and implementation of ICD-10.

• Study indicates mentally demanding tasks can protect brain power – Molecular Imaging

Mentally demanding activities may be neuroprotective and an important element for maintaining a healthy brain into late adulthood, according to findings published in Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience.

The post Diagnostic Reading #4: Five Must Read Articles from the Past Week appeared first on Everything Rad.

This week’s articles include: the limitations and applications of mobile devices in radiology; three things CIOs can learn from radiology analytics; how vendor neutral archives can reduce duplicate imaging exams; patients increased trust in the security of EHRs; and a study on communication errors within the radiology department.

• Radiologists must be aware, vigilant with mobile devices – AuntMinnie
  Mobile devices can be used in a variety of applications in radiology, but it’s vital to understand the technology’s limitations and security issues when reading images or sharing cases with colleagues.

• 3 things CIOs can learn from radiology analytics – AuntMinnie

Analytics can illustrate radiology’s value to the healthcare enterprise. Radiology has a meaningful contribution to make within the context of value-based care. And artificial intelligence may transform the practice of radiology in the future. CIOs also need to understand the workflow of radiologists, and varying amounts of time required to read different types of exams.

• VNA to the rescue: Curbing excessive costs in imaging – HealthImaging

Cutting down on exorbitant costs associated with imaging errors, including excessive and repetitive radiology procedures, is a major goal for providers. There’s no quick fix, but installing a vendor-neutral archive (VNA) could be an important piece of the puzzle. A recent report from peer60 found that as much as $12 billion is wasted annually on unnecessary imaging exams, most of which stems from a lack of communication among radiologists, clinicians and other healthcare providers.

• Survey: Patients Gaining Trust in Privacy, Security of Electronic Medical Records – HCInformatics

Patients appear to be gaining trust in the privacy and security of electronic health records (EHRs). Three-quarters of patients support their healthcare providers’ use of EHRs despite any privacy or security concerns, according to a data brief published by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC).

• Communication errors in radiology found to be impactful, common and not just connected to results – HealthImaging

Of 380 communication errors occurring in the radiology department of an academic medical center over a 10-year period, 37.9 percent had a direct impact on patient care and 52.6 percent were potentially impactful, according to a study in the March edition of the American Journal of Roentgenology. A key finding was that most of these mistakes happened outside of result communications, which suggests that systems need to be developed to guard against communication errors throughout the journey of patients and their data in the radiology department.

The post Diagnostic Reading #9: Five Must-Read Articles From the Past Week appeared first on Everything Rad.

Innovative solutions and fresh coffee at Carestream at RSNA2016!

Check out these videos for a sneak peek of what’s brewing. And stop by our booth #4704 in the South Hall at RSNA16!

The post What’s Brewing at RSNA16? appeared first on Everything Rad.

Carestream Health integrates Materialise service that produces 3D anatomical models for medical applications.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much is an actual physical anatomical model worth?

For some healthcare providers, the ability to see and touch a 3D visualization of pathology or a model of an organ prior to surgery could be priceless. That’s why Carestream is collaborating with Materialise NV to provide healthcare providers with a Web-based printing service to create 3D anatomical models.

AnatomyPrint generates 3D anatomical models from STL files that originate with data in Carestream’s Clinical Collaboration Platform. Materialise can use the files to generate detailed 3D printed models for healthcare providers.

“Our printing service enables healthcare providers to quickly and effortlessly send imaging data to our company, which is a premier supplier of 3D models used in medical applications,” said Brigitte de Vet, Vice President of Materialise Medical Unit. “This technology can help a clinician visualize the anatomy in 3D, which can assist in providing improved patient outcomes.”

3D printing is currently being used in a variety of medical applications ranging from training to diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Many centers are starting up their own 3D printing activity and are looking for access to the technology. In this new collaboration, Materialise and Carestream are providing easy access to high-end 3D printing services from their existing clinical workflow.

Materialise experts create 3D anatomical models using a variety of materials, technologies and colors. With continuing advances in computer and 3D printer technology, it has been possible to develop more realistic models of the human body in recent years. #HealthIT #enterpriseimaging

Ron Muscosky is a Product Line Manager in health IT solutions at Carestream.

The post Healthcare Providers Can Create 3D Anatomical Models from Radiology Images appeared first on Everything Rad.

The impact of switching from fee-for-service to VBC on your enterprise imaging strategy.

The shift from fee-for-service (FFS) to value-based care (VBC) plays out in many ways throughout healthcare, including medical imaging technology. But because radiology has its own guiding principles, it is unique in its reaction to this shift.

“Imaging does not naturally fit into many of the outcomes-driven, value-based models,” said Dr. James Whitfill, addressing attendees at SIIM 2017.

Fortunately, new guidelines and technologies have emerged to help radiology support the shift to Value-Based Care.

Supporting standards for medical imaging studies

The use of standards of appropriateness for ordering imaging studies can

be bolstered through decision-support systems for ordering advanced imaging studies such as CT, PET, and MRI. The systems can help weigh the risk factors involved in dose as well as the potential benefit of the study.

The American College of Radiology’s position on this point is clear: “No imaging exam should be performed unless there is a clear medical benefit that outweighs any associated risk.”

The ACR has developed  Appropriateness Criteria® (AC): “evidence-based guidelines to assist referring physicians and other providers in making the most appropriate imaging or treatment decision for a specific clinical condition.” The ACR’s updated guidelines are available here.

Additionally,  Carestream’s zero-footprint Universal viewer—which facilitates image sharing within and between provider organizations and patient portals—can help reduce or eliminate unnecessary duplication of studies.

Structured reports inform patient care decisions

Report quality also can play a part in radiology’s shift to VBC. Using standardized nomenclature in reports and embedded links to key findings in image data can help referring physicians make faster decisions on patient care. Reports with standardized nomenclature can feed an analytics engine that provides powerful support for radiology decisions.

In a recent article, Dr. Martí-Bonmatí cites the study of steatohepatitis as an example: “In addition to analyzing images to detect the presence of associated lesions and the presence of morphological alterations, radiologists will have the result of the fat fraction and liver iron deposition (mean values, range, percentiles) that were obtained with appropriate MultiEco MR sequences with chemical shift (MECSE). These and other values will be available in the patient’s history and radiological databases for study.”

Documentation regarding dose management, monitoring, and reporting standards will help physicians determine treatment and follow-up recommendations for many conditions.

Clinical analytics can reduce errors, improve quality, and increase productivity

Carestream’s enterprise imaging platform (Vue Clinical Collaboration Platform) incorporates analytics that can have a positive impact on quality, regulation, and compliance, and it can help orchestrate workflow around the most urgent priorities.

Carestream partners with Zebra Medical Vision to power image analysis with advanced AI to provide an automated alert for conditions for which the population is at risk. For example: a large population of U.S. patients is at risk for osteoporosis. Preventive care has been proven to reduce second fractures by up to 40 percent. But typically, the condition is not identified until after the first fracture has occurred.

Clearly, earlier identification would permit better healthcare. The solution: Use a fully automated algorithm that screens existing CTs and identifies scans with abnormally low bone density. With embedded analytics, an alert for below-normal dexa T would be provided as part of a standard chest study. This immediate risk stratification tool can increase short-term revenue as well as reduce long-term costs.

Also, Carestream’s system is designed to measure clinical quality and document progress, and will be able to find reporting errors and discrepancies in real-time.

The role of analytics in radiology operations

Analytics also can be applied to the business and operation of radiology. Comparison of one area to another, metrics on how priority reads are proceeding, where there are backlogs, and where there is availability are useful metrics. These operational details can be set up in a dashboard for a quick snapshot of an entire business, or a comparison of one department versus another. Technology also can be monitored with alerts, downtime flagged, and problems identified.

As radiology continues the journey to value-based care, we expect the role of analytics to continue to grow.  #healthIT  #enterpriseimaging

Learn more about Carestream’s Clinical Collaboration Platform on our website, or watch the video!

Related blogs

Medical Imaging Technology to Support Value-Based Care

NYU Winthrop Hospital: the Enterprise Imaging Platform of the Future.

Thierry Verstraete is the project lead manager for Carestream’s Clinical Solutions and Analytics.

The post Medical Imaging Technology to Support Value-Based Care appeared first on Everything Rad.

Integration of tools within enterprise imaging platform enhances quality and productivity of medical imaging.

As a healthcare provider, you are faced with the reality of value-based care that requires you to deliver excellent care, coupled with capitation payments. Your focus is on how to deliver the best possible care at the lowest achievable cost.

In this blog, I’ll explain how artificial intelligence and imaging analytics software tools can help enhance the quality and speed of diagnosis and reporting for radiology imaging exams – when incorporated into your enterprise imaging platform.

Source: Vivian Lee’s Plenary Lecture, RSNA 2016

From a radiology services point of view, cost is often associated with productivity. Imaging providers are trying to do more in the same unit of time. That formula in itself creates a conundrum because on one hand, you are pressed to enhance the quality and the service. At the same time – and at the other side of the equation – you are pressed to increase productivity and volume to decrease cost.

Enabling technologies like imaging analytics, rich interactive multimedia reports, and worklist orchestration can help bridge the gap in the formula. Additionally, their integration into an enterprise imaging platform creates a synergy between them that maximizes their value.

Let’s take a deeper look at each technology and how they can affect outcomes.

Imaging analytics and worklist orchestration increase value of enterprise imaging platform

An algorithm-enabled radiology assistant is an imaging analytics tool that can be seamlessly integrated into the radiologist’s workflow. While a radiologist is reading a case and opening up the images, the radiology assistant launches and presents the radiologist with incidental findings, such as a quantitative assessment and images of present coronary calcifications* Pending FDA 510(k) clearance. The radiology assistant allows the radiologist to potentially reduce medical errors by identifying findings that might have been missed otherwise.

By using an algorithm-enabled radiology assistant, users can boost diagnostic confidence while simultaneously improving productivity and containing costs. Carestream currently incorporates third-party algorithmic qualitative results for osteoporosis, lung emphysema, coronary calcification, and fatty liver as part of our Clinical Collaboration Platform.

Obviously this type of solution would help with quality control and peer review. It also would help speed up the reporting time. A solution that would help increase a radiologist’s productivity further is worklist prioritization. For example, Carestream’s Workflow Orchestrator directs the study to the best radiologist for each case based on subspecialty, location and affiliation. The goal is to maximize the probability that any study acquired at any of the sites will be read within the study SLA by a sub-specialist located at or affiliated with the site, or preferred by specific facilities or referring physicians, while evenly distributing the workload and complexity among the members of the reading group.

When these solutions are integrated within the enterprise imaging platform, the productivity and quality gains are achieved without any additional work or action on the part of the radiologist.

Interactive multimedia reporting increases value of enterprise imaging

The next technology that can help increase the value of your enterprise imaging system is interactive reporting. In the image below, you see the classic static report on the left. On the right is Carestream’s interactive multimedia report.

The synergy of the imaging analytics tool with the interactive report delivers more structured reporting.

Within the Carestream report, there are numerous interactive areas where either the referring physician or the clinician can click to bring them directly to the relative findings on the study. In this example above, if I click on the hyperlink, it will lead me to a specific lung nodule. That will call up our universal zero-footprint enterprise viewer and actually guide and present the clinician or the referring physician with the specific study findings and annotations. At the same time, the clinician can review the report and also consult the bookmarks or other findings that might be present on the study.

Additionally, the report can be populated with algorithmic findings from the radiology assistant. For the sake of example, let’s say that the algorithm has defined or has identified that a patient has coronary calcium. With a simple click, the radiologist can open up the reporting workflow and can decide on demand whether to include this algorithm insight directly in the report. The quantitative assessments that have been defined by the algorithm can be included in a table.

By means of the reporting module, hyperlinks also are available to the clinicians and referring physicians. This creates a nice feedback loop in the whole continuum of care. Lastly, the system can be configured to automatically include key images from the algorithmic findings directly in the report.

The synergy of the imaging analytics tool with the interactive report delivers more structured reporting. This can help increase quality, service, and clinician and patient engagements without adding significant additional cost. It also serves as the perfect container for communicating the imaging analytics findings and the algorithmic insights. And it dramatically speeds up access to the images and findings for the referring physicians and clinicians.

In summary, worklist orchestration, imaging analytics, and interactive multimedia reports can help bring significant added value to your enterprise imaging platform. These technologies can stand by themselves; however, their value is truly maximized when they are tightly integrated with the other components of an enterprise imaging platform.

Read these related blogs:

Radiology Metrics in Value-Based Care

Understand the Meanings of AI terms and Their Roles in Diagnostic Imaging

The Next Generation of Multi-Media Reporting in Radiology

Thierry Verstraete is Carestream’s Global Product Manager for Clinical Solutions and Analytics. He has more than 20 years of experience in healthcare IT.

The post Increasing the Value of Enterprise Imaging Platforms with Analytics and Productivity Solutions appeared first on Everything Rad.

Several top news sources recently published articles that contain helpful insights for radiology and healthcare IT professionals.

This diagnostic reading articles describe how the Internet and mobile technologies have led to higher patient expectations, why radiologists need to maintain good relationships with other clinicians and patients to be effective, nine trends to watch in 2016, patient opinions on acceptable ways to share their health information and the latest tactics being employed for cancer detection and treatment.

• Patients demand more personalized treatment – Healthcare IT News

Eight-nine percent of healthcare providers say technology has changed patient expectations, according to a recent EMC report. Respondents to the survey, which polled 236 healthcare leaders from 18 countries, said more than half of their patients wanted faster access to services. 45 percent wanted 24/7 access and connectivity and 42 percent wanted access on more devices. Another 47 percent said they wanted “personalized” experiences.

• How radiologists can get along with everyone – Diagnostic Imaging

While office colleagues are integral to a radiologist’s success, they can’t be the only other players to comprise the team. To be truly effective, radiologists must cultivate and maintain open relationships with other stakeholders – referring physicians, hospitals, technologists, and, most importantly, patients.

• The year ahead in radiology: 9 trends to watch in 2016 – Auntminnie

What does the year ahead hold for radiology? From a growing reliance on big data for improved efficiency to the emergence of 3D printing as a clinical tool, medical imaging will continue to experience the constant evolution that is a hallmark of the specialty.

• Patients struggle with sharing health information online, cite privacy concerns, breaches, Pew report says – Healthcare IT News

Just over half of Americans feel it would be acceptable for doctors to use health information websites to manage patient records, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Another 20 percent of respondents said it would depend on the scenario. Just 26 percent said this type of data sharing was unacceptable. “It depends on exactly what records are shared,” one respondent said. “It would have to be a very secure site for me to trust it. Scheduling appointments online wouldn’t bother me though.”

• War on cancer, take two – Modern Healthcare

President Nixon launched the first war on cancer in 1971. The past 40+ years have brought greater understanding of cancer’s genomics and mortality rates have dropped by 23% since 1991. Yet industry experts remain cautious about finding a cure.

The post Diagnostic Reading #3 – Five Must Read Articles from the Past Week appeared first on Everything Rad.

Our Diagnostic Reading Top Picks.

This week’s articles describe the high priority radiologists place integrating PACS with an EHR, expected growth for the global ultrasound market, patients’ desire for personalized treatment, Radiology Today’s top picks for areas within the imaging space that promise the greatest innovations and a study that indicates mentally demanding activities may play an important role in maintaining a healthy brain.

• Piecing together patient data: Integrated EHR a high priority for radiologists – Radiology Business

With such a wide variety of PACS and electronic health records (EHRs) in the marketplace, decision-makers at hospitals and private practices have a lot to consider when purchasing new equipment. If they want to keep their radiologists happy, they may want to make sure the PACS can be properly integrated with the EHR. According to a recent study published by the Journal of the American College of Radiology, an integrated EHR is a bigger priority to radiologists than having access to the most advanced clinical features.

• Global ultrasound market expected to grow 5% by 2021 – Auntminnie

The global ultrasound market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5% between 2015 and 2021, according to a new report by Research and Markets. Growth is driven by various factors such as an increase in the number of cancer patients, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and other lifestyle-oriented diseases, and in birth rates and awareness of the utility of ultrasound.

• 5 healthcare imperatives as patients demand more personalized treatment – Healthcare IT News

Eight-nine percent of healthcare providers say technology has changed patient expectations, according to a recent EMC report. Respondents to the survey, which polled 236 healthcare leaders from 18 countries, said more than half of their patients want faster access to services, 45 percent want 24/7 access and connectivity and 42 percent want access on more devices. Another 47 percent said they want “personalized” experiences.

• Less Sizzle, More Steak: 5 Things to Watch in 2016 – Radiology Today

Health care reform is ongoing and new things always crop up in imaging. Our top picks to watch for in 2016 include workflow, cone beam CT, imaging outside the radiology department and implementation of ICD-10.

• Study indicates mentally demanding tasks can protect brain power – Molecular Imaging

Mentally demanding activities may be neuroprotective and an important element for maintaining a healthy brain into late adulthood, according to findings published in Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience.

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This week’s articles include: the limitations and applications of mobile devices in radiology; three things CIOs can learn from radiology analytics; how vendor neutral archives can reduce duplicate imaging exams; patients increased trust in the security of EHRs; and a study on communication errors within the radiology department.

• Radiologists must be aware, vigilant with mobile devices – AuntMinnie
  Mobile devices can be used in a variety of applications in radiology, but it’s vital to understand the technology’s limitations and security issues when reading images or sharing cases with colleagues.

• 3 things CIOs can learn from radiology analytics – AuntMinnie

Analytics can illustrate radiology’s value to the healthcare enterprise. Radiology has a meaningful contribution to make within the context of value-based care. And artificial intelligence may transform the practice of radiology in the future. CIOs also need to understand the workflow of radiologists, and varying amounts of time required to read different types of exams.

• VNA to the rescue: Curbing excessive costs in imaging – HealthImaging

Cutting down on exorbitant costs associated with imaging errors, including excessive and repetitive radiology procedures, is a major goal for providers. There’s no quick fix, but installing a vendor-neutral archive (VNA) could be an important piece of the puzzle. A recent report from peer60 found that as much as $12 billion is wasted annually on unnecessary imaging exams, most of which stems from a lack of communication among radiologists, clinicians and other healthcare providers.

• Survey: Patients Gaining Trust in Privacy, Security of Electronic Medical Records – HCInformatics

Patients appear to be gaining trust in the privacy and security of electronic health records (EHRs). Three-quarters of patients support their healthcare providers’ use of EHRs despite any privacy or security concerns, according to a data brief published by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC).

• Communication errors in radiology found to be impactful, common and not just connected to results – HealthImaging

Of 380 communication errors occurring in the radiology department of an academic medical center over a 10-year period, 37.9 percent had a direct impact on patient care and 52.6 percent were potentially impactful, according to a study in the March edition of the American Journal of Roentgenology. A key finding was that most of these mistakes happened outside of result communications, which suggests that systems need to be developed to guard against communication errors throughout the journey of patients and their data in the radiology department.

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Innovative solutions and fresh coffee at Carestream at RSNA2016!

Check out these videos for a sneak peek of what’s brewing. And stop by our booth #4704 in the South Hall at RSNA16!

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Carestream Health integrates Materialise service that produces 3D anatomical models for medical applications.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much is an actual physical anatomical model worth?

For some healthcare providers, the ability to see and touch a 3D visualization of pathology or a model of an organ prior to surgery could be priceless. That’s why Carestream is collaborating with Materialise NV to provide healthcare providers with a Web-based printing service to create 3D anatomical models.

AnatomyPrint generates 3D anatomical models from STL files that originate with data in Carestream’s Clinical Collaboration Platform. Materialise can use the files to generate detailed 3D printed models for healthcare providers.

“Our printing service enables healthcare providers to quickly and effortlessly send imaging data to our company, which is a premier supplier of 3D models used in medical applications,” said Brigitte de Vet, Vice President of Materialise Medical Unit. “This technology can help a clinician visualize the anatomy in 3D, which can assist in providing improved patient outcomes.”

3D printing is currently being used in a variety of medical applications ranging from training to diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Many centers are starting up their own 3D printing activity and are looking for access to the technology. In this new collaboration, Materialise and Carestream are providing easy access to high-end 3D printing services from their existing clinical workflow.

Materialise experts create 3D anatomical models using a variety of materials, technologies and colors. With continuing advances in computer and 3D printer technology, it has been possible to develop more realistic models of the human body in recent years. #HealthIT #enterpriseimaging

Ron Muscosky is a Product Line Manager in health IT solutions at Carestream.

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The impact of switching from fee-for-service to VBC on your enterprise imaging strategy.

The shift from fee-for-service (FFS) to value-based care (VBC) plays out in many ways throughout healthcare, including medical imaging technology. But because radiology has its own guiding principles, it is unique in its reaction to this shift.

“Imaging does not naturally fit into many of the outcomes-driven, value-based models,” said Dr. James Whitfill, addressing attendees at SIIM 2017.

Fortunately, new guidelines and technologies have emerged to help radiology support the shift to Value-Based Care.

Supporting standards for medical imaging studies

The use of standards of appropriateness for ordering imaging studies can

be bolstered through decision-support systems for ordering advanced imaging studies such as CT, PET, and MRI. The systems can help weigh the risk factors involved in dose as well as the potential benefit of the study.

The American College of Radiology’s position on this point is clear: “No imaging exam should be performed unless there is a clear medical benefit that outweighs any associated risk.”

The ACR has developed  Appropriateness Criteria® (AC): “evidence-based guidelines to assist referring physicians and other providers in making the most appropriate imaging or treatment decision for a specific clinical condition.” The ACR’s updated guidelines are available here.

Additionally,  Carestream’s zero-footprint Universal viewer—which facilitates image sharing within and between provider organizations and patient portals—can help reduce or eliminate unnecessary duplication of studies.

Structured reports inform patient care decisions

Report quality also can play a part in radiology’s shift to VBC. Using standardized nomenclature in reports and embedded links to key findings in image data can help referring physicians make faster decisions on patient care. Reports with standardized nomenclature can feed an analytics engine that provides powerful support for radiology decisions.

In a recent article, Dr. Martí-Bonmatí cites the study of steatohepatitis as an example: “In addition to analyzing images to detect the presence of associated lesions and the presence of morphological alterations, radiologists will have the result of the fat fraction and liver iron deposition (mean values, range, percentiles) that were obtained with appropriate MultiEco MR sequences with chemical shift (MECSE). These and other values will be available in the patient’s history and radiological databases for study.”

Documentation regarding dose management, monitoring, and reporting standards will help physicians determine treatment and follow-up recommendations for many conditions.

Clinical analytics can reduce errors, improve quality, and increase productivity

Carestream’s enterprise imaging platform (Vue Clinical Collaboration Platform) incorporates analytics that can have a positive impact on quality, regulation, and compliance, and it can help orchestrate workflow around the most urgent priorities.

Carestream partners with Zebra Medical Vision to power image analysis with advanced AI to provide an automated alert for conditions for which the population is at risk. For example: a large population of U.S. patients is at risk for osteoporosis. Preventive care has been proven to reduce second fractures by up to 40 percent. But typically, the condition is not identified until after the first fracture has occurred.

Clearly, earlier identification would permit better healthcare. The solution: Use a fully automated algorithm that screens existing CTs and identifies scans with abnormally low bone density. With embedded analytics, an alert for below-normal dexa T would be provided as part of a standard chest study. This immediate risk stratification tool can increase short-term revenue as well as reduce long-term costs.

Also, Carestream’s system is designed to measure clinical quality and document progress, and will be able to find reporting errors and discrepancies in real-time.

The role of analytics in radiology operations

Analytics also can be applied to the business and operation of radiology. Comparison of one area to another, metrics on how priority reads are proceeding, where there are backlogs, and where there is availability are useful metrics. These operational details can be set up in a dashboard for a quick snapshot of an entire business, or a comparison of one department versus another. Technology also can be monitored with alerts, downtime flagged, and problems identified.

As radiology continues the journey to value-based care, we expect the role of analytics to continue to grow.  #healthIT  #enterpriseimaging

Learn more about Carestream’s Clinical Collaboration Platform on our website, or watch the video!

Related blogs

Medical Imaging Technology to Support Value-Based Care

NYU Winthrop Hospital: the Enterprise Imaging Platform of the Future.

Thierry Verstraete is the project lead manager for Carestream’s Clinical Solutions and Analytics.

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AHRA2018 keynote speaker shares insights on creating a culture of heroes in medical imaging.

When asked “what is a hero?”, many people respond that it is an ordinary person who did an extraordinary thing. Kevin Brown, keynote speaker at the AHRA2018 conference, thinks we should flip that tired, rote definition. He believes instead that heroes are extraordinary people who choose not to be ordinary – and that every one of us has the power to be a hero.

Kevin Brown was the keynote speaker at the opening ceremony at AHRA 2018 in Orlando Florida.

Brown explained that all heroes have something in common: they help people. Given that, it would seem that everyone at the conference should be tying on their superhero capes. After all, many hospitals and imaging sites talk about “putting patients first” or state that, “no one is more important than the patient.”

But is your imaging facility delivering on that philosophy? Do your patients feel like they are the only person in the room when checking in with the receptionist? Do they feel like they have 100 percent of the rad tech’s attention while undergoing an exam? Are the interactions during this visit positive enough to make the patient choose your facility – over all the other providers – the next time they need an exam? If not, you’ve lost a competitive edge. Now you can only compete on price.

Creating a culture of heroes in medical imaging

Brown encouraged everyone to tap into your own super powers to influence and shape the way that staff throughout your organization treat patients. How? By first creating an exceptional experience for the people inside your organization. Treat your staff and co-workers with kindness and respect, and they in turn will treat your patients that way.

Healthcare leaders should recognize that employees need more than just the equipment to do their job or a paycheck at the end of the week. They also need support and validation. A real superhero understands – and delivers – the reinforcement and support that people want. Similarly, patients need more than imaging exams. They need reassurance, a bright smile, undivided attention.

Brown illustrated the power of the personal experience by sharing humorous stories about his attachment to his hairdresser and favorite fast food restaurant that have earned his loyalty by making him feel special. And he tugged at heartstrings with a personal story about how the caring attitude and personal attention of a chef at Disney World led to a lasting and caring relationship with his son who has autism.

Being a hero part two: no strings attached

Even superheroes have busy schedules and shortages of resources. How can a medical administrator be all powerful when paperwork and meetings are sapping your energy like a load of kryptonite? Brown says it is accomplished by being in the moment; by showing up fully and attentively. Focus on “the now” and the person standing in front of you, and not on “what’s next”. Most importantly, offer help without expecting anything in return – no strings attached.

To illustrate the point, Brown encouraged attendees to think about all the people who made a positive difference in their lives even when the interactions were short lived. Then he asked attendees to consider whether and how many people would think of them if asked the same question.

Radiology administrators don’t wear capes and they would be foolish to leap a tall building. But we all have the power to embrace a simply philosophy: be kind for no reason, and help others without expecting anything in return. In doing so, you are likely to build a more compassionate workforce that truly does put the patient first, and sets your organization apart from the competitors.

What “super powers” do you bring to work each day to build a culture of caring and compassion?

#heroeffect #AHRA2018

Katie Kilfoyle Remis is the editor of Everything Rad and Carestream Health’s social media strategist.

Kevin Brown is author of the book THE HERO EFFECT: Being Your Best When It Matters The Most.

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New developments in diagnostic imaging technology are in the news.

This week’s articles in Diagnostic Reading include: radiology groups consolidate in light of increasing demands and underfunding; first human is imaged with novel 3D color X-ray scanner in New Zealand; increasing high-resolution imaging scans are contributing to more accidentally discovered abnormalities; radiographers and patients know they must discuss imaging risks; and internal medicine residents can play an important role in assessing patient needs.

Radiology groups consolidate en masse in light of increasing demands, underfunding –  Radiology Business

Diagnostic reading helps you stay current with industry news!

With seven of the country’s 20 most prominent radiology practices having completed business deals within the last 18 months, the field is witnessing more efforts to consolidate and conserve resources than perhaps ever before.

First human imaged with novel 3D color X-ray scanner in New Zealand – Health Imaging

A 3D color medical scanner invented by father and son scientists in New Zealand recently imaged its first human subject. The MARS spectral X-ray scanner can capture enhanced detail of the body’s chemical components—such as fat, water, and disease markers—by measuring the X-ray spectrum to produce images in color. Producing more detailed images than MRI or CT may allow physicians to better identify and diagnose diseases.

More imaging can mean more ‘incidentalomas,’ treatment for often-benign findings – Health Imaging

Advanced imaging tests may be providing as much patient anxiety as diagnostic relief, according to a Reuters Health report. A research review suggests increasing high-resolution imaging scans are contributing to more accidentally discovered abnormalities, “or incidentalomas,” that are unrelated to a patient’s diagnosis and can often be benign.

Radiographers, patients know they must discuss imaging risks—but what is the best method? – Health Imaging

Researchers found that radiographers and patients generally agree on the need to communicate the risks associated with medical imaging examinations that use ionizing radiation, according to research published in the August issue of Radiography. Not surprisingly, human interaction was the preferred method for providing the risk information to a patient.

Internal medicine residents can better assess patient needs with in-home visits – Clinical Innovation + Technology

New research from the Boston University School of Medicine suggests internal medicine residents who visited patient in their homes after hospital visits can better assess needs. The visits also emphasized the role community services and agencies play in avoiding readmissions.

#Diagnosticreading #radiology #xray

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News this week: the role of gut instincts and generalists in radiology; and rad administrators share their top challenge.

This week’s articles in Diagnostic Reading include: physician’s intuition influences diagnostic imaging for a patient; generalists still relevant despite subspecialization; radiology administrators at AHRA share their top challenges; a PACS-integrated curriculum improves medical education; and RSNA shares plans to educate members about AI and ML in 2018 and beyond.

Diagnostic Reading helps you stay current with industry news!

1st impressions: Physician ‘gut instinct’ can influence amount of diagnostic imaging – Health Imaging

New research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) suggests a physician’s intuition—or, in other words, gut feeling—about a patient’s condition significantly influences the amount of diagnostic imaging, which is well above the capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI). Understanding what goes into a physician’s instinct can help scientists design AI systems to incorporate less tangible data used by doctors to evaluate patients.

Generalists remain ‘extremely relevant’ in radiology despite perceived subspecialization – Health Imaging

Radiology has undergone large-scale subspecialization, causing some experts to question how the shift has impacted patient access to both basic and invasive procedures. In a recently published study in Radiology, researchers found generalists perform more procedures in a greater number of locations compared to interventionalists and other subspecialties.

Radiology administrators share their top challenges – Everything Rad

Being a successful radiology administrator is a tall order. You need to drive operational and financial results, stay in compliance with changing regulations, and occasionally reconcile physician orders that might conflict with clinical decision support data. But according to AHRA attendees, the most difficult challenge in radiology management can be people. Read insights and experiences from AHRA 2018 attendees.

On-call training: PACS-integrated curriculum improves student comprehension, relieves anxiety – Health Imaging

Training radiology residents for on-call duties using a blended-curriculum model—known as a flipped classroom—has been gaining traction in graduate medical education. A recent study published in Current Problems in Diagnostic Radiology found integrating a cloud-based PACS viewer further improved trainee comprehension and comfort.

RSNA outlines numerous AI, machine learning initiatives – Radiology Business

RSNA announced that it has big plans for educating members about artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) for 2018 and beyond. RSNA will host the first in a series of live webinars about AI in radiology, “Intro to AI and Machine Learning: Why All the Buzz?” on Aug. 29. RSNA also is co-sponsoring August’s National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering workshop, “Artificial Intelligence in Medical Imaging.” RSNA 2018—complete with the return of its RSNA Deep Learning Classroom—comes to Chicago this November. Confused about AI terms? Our blog can help clear up the confusion.

#AHRA2018 #AI #radiology

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