Medical Imaging Blog

Healthcare IT

National Digital Teaching Library Possible with Radiology PACS

Gone are the days of radiologists keeping a file cabinet full of interesting imaging cases to use when junior radiologists required examples of particular conditions.

With a growing number of hospitals installing radiology Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS), this former teaching method has all but disappeared.

But while the method may be gone, the teaching practice can still exist and thrive, according to a recent article by Nicola Strickland of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.

The article appeared in a recent issue of Medical Imaging Technology and was commissioned by McKesson. It suggests the creation of a national digital teaching library, which would contain images contributed by radiologists with varied experience from across the country.

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Don’t Miss These Radiology Resources for the Latest News & Advancements

Staying up-to-date on the latest medical imaging and radiology research, news and technologies is simple with these two radiology resources. For even more publications and journals, check out our full list of PACS, RIS and healthcare resources.

Applied Radiology: This print and online radiology resource covers all aspects of diagnostic radiology, interventional techniques and therapeutic specialties. Applied Radiology features physician-authored clinical articles and radiological cases, as well as interactive quizzes, reader polls, videos and news stories.

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Report: Hospitals Not Meeting Electronic Medical Record Stimulus Requirements

A new report from the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society’s (HIMSS) has found that hospitals will face significant challenges in order to comply with health IT requirements of the federal economic stimulus package.

HIMSS compared the requirements of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) stimulus against its 7-stage Electronic Medical Record (EMR) Adoption Model (see image below).

The majority of HITECH requirements fall under the most difficult Electronic Medical Record categories – categories that very few hospitals currently meet, a recent article from Government Health IT points out:

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Don’t Miss These Upcoming Healthcare IT & Radiology Conferences

Are you looking to expand your knowledge of the latest advances in healthcare IT? Could you benefit from a few days of networking with other radiologists and healthcare professionals?

Look no further than the healthcare IT and radiology conferences highlighted below.

March 4-8
European Congress of Radiology
Vienna, Austria
ECR 2010 represents the medical specialty of radiology throughout Europe and the Mediterranean. The ECR comprises an executive committee, a programme planning committee, a technical exhibition committee, an international relations committee and 15 scientific subcommittees

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Radiology Information System (RIS) Market to Reach $415.8 million by 2013

The future looks bright for diagnostic imaging.

According to a report from ReportLinker, worldwide diagnostic imaging and Radiology Information System (RIS) markets will reach $415.8 million by 2013. Moreover, as RIS systems are integrated with electronic patient records, market growth may be even stronger.

The ability to identify additional diseases at an earlier stage through diagnostic imaging will stimulate the demand for information management systems.

The report pinpoints key drivers of diagnostic imaging and radiology information system market growth, including:

Lower costs
Improved efficiency
Complete audit trails
Centralized patient information
Help to achieve HIPAA compliance

Continue Reading: Radiology Information System (RIS) Market to Reach $415.8 million by 2013

Could Secondary Use of Electronic Medical Records Be Your Healthcare Organization’s Greatest Asset?

The immediate, primary benefits of electronic medical records are well-recognized: improved efficiency for physicians and enhanced safety for patients.

But what are the secondary benefits?

According to a recent survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, secondary use of electronic medical records may become a healthcare organizations’ greatest asset over the next five years. Data mined from health information systems could help improve patient care, predict trends in public health and reduce healthcare costs.

The survey, “Transforming Healthcare Through Secondary Use of Health Data,” found 90% of healthcare executives say the secondary use of health information from electronic health records will significantly improve patient care.

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Patients Demand Online Access to Radiology Results

Radiology Information Systems (RIS) have come a long way in streamlining tasks and providing 24/7 access to radiology results for physicians across an enterprise.

But results from a recent Wake Forest University School of Medicine study show there still may be one missing piece of the puzzle. According to the study, many patients are dissatisfied with the lack of detail in MRI, CT scan and ultrasound test results – as well as the amount of time it takes to receive results.

Patients in the study want online access to radiology results as soon as they are available to enable them to:

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Expand Your Knowledge Base with These Radiology & Medical Imaging Resources

Stay on top of the latest radiology and medical imaging trends and advancements with the two resources below. Or access a full list of PACS, RIS and healthcare resources for even more medical imaging news and information.

Abdominal Imaging: Radiologists, medical imaging specialists, gastroenterologists and hepatologists can discover the latest in-depth studies from well-respected healthcare researchers and research organizations. Recent published works include: “Functional MR Imaging as a New Paradigm for Image Guidance,” “Interventional Oncology in the Abdomen” and “Detecting Recurrence of Gastric Cancer.”

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PACS Adoption to Experience Significant Growth by 2015

Just what will the Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) market look like in five years?

A recent GlobalData report sheds light on the future growth and adoption of Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS). “US Picture Arching and Communication Systems (PACS) Market: Increasing Adoption to Drive Growth,” found that the market will:

Grow by 13% annually for the next seven years
Reach $2.5 billion in 2015, up from $1 billion in 2008

The report also found that PACS adoption will be driven by:

1. Small and mid-sized hospitals looking to cut costs and increase efficiency.

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Top 5 Benefits of a Picture Archiving and Communication System

Technology advancements are rapidly changing the medical industry – the radiology field, in particular. Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) are enabling physicians to quickly and easily share diagnostic imaging information, reports and images electronically.

In a recent post, the British Medical Advisor Jobs blog highlights some of the many benefits of PACS on patient care and physician efficiency. We’ve summarized that information and created the “Top 5 PACS Benefits” list:

1. PACS reduces the need for film in diagnostic imaging, saving on both the costs to buy film and the space needed to house film.

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