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                                         Cooper University Hospital
                                         Changing the
                                         Playing Field with
                                         Integrated RIS/PACS
                                         Radiology and Imaging Specialists
                                         RIS-driven Workflow
                                         Simplifies a Complex
                                         Practice
                                         United Memorial Medical Center
                                         RIS/PACS Propels the
                                         Community Hospital

                                         Speech:
                                         The Next-Generation
                                         ‘Smart’ Report

                                         RIS in the Outpatient
                                         Imaging Center

                                         Ensuring Success:
                                         RIS/PACS Consultation
                                         & Training




sponsored by an educational grant from

GE Healthcare
GE Healthcare


With information at
your fingertips, decisions
are easy to reach.
Connecting to information enables caregivers to decide on a plan of action
quicker and more effectively. Which is why, from streamlining clinical workflow
to expediting revenue cycles, GE Healthcare’s Centricity™ portfolio provides
information-sharing solutions that allow caregivers to view patient data across
multiple applications and locations. With critical information within every
caregiver's grasp, better patient care is easier to reach. Healthcare IT Re-Imagined.

www.gehealthcare.com/centricity




© 2008 General Electric Company
table of contents
   Revving Up Workflow
                      Today’s radiology information
                      system is the workhorse
                      of radiology—gathering                                                                                                     February 2008
                      and organizing radiology
                      department workflow and
                                                                                      Case Study › Cooper University Hospital
                      reporting. Simply, it’s the
                      “brains of the engine,” says Ray                                02	 Changing the Playing Field with 	
                      Baraldi, MD, chief of radiology                                         Integrated RIS/PACS
                      at Cooper University Hospital in                                        by Lisa Fratt

   Camden, N.J. Integrated RIS/PACS has been key
   to Baraldi and his radiology and IT team helping                                   Case Study › Radiology and Imaging Specialists
   this 500-bed trauma center regain a competitive                                    05	 RIS-driven Workflow Simplifies 	
   edge just across the water from Philadelphia.                                              Complex Practice
   RIS-driven workflow has spurred 10 to 20 percent                                           by Lisa Fratt
   productivity gains among radiologists.
      The story is similar at United Memorial                                         Case Study › United Memorial Medical Center
   Medical Center, a Batavia, N.Y.-based community
                                                                                      08	 RIS/PACS Propels the 	
   hospital that includes five imaging centers—and
   Radiology and Imaging Specialists of Lakeland,
                                                                                              Community Hospital
                                                                                              by Lisa Fratt
   Fla., whose 17 radiologists interpret 500,000
   studies for more than 100 referring physicians
   annually. RIS allows administrators to trace                                       11	     Speech: 	
   facility metrics, uncovering inefficiencies and                                            The Next-Generation ‘Smart’ Report
                                                                                              by Lisa Fratt
   re-evaluating staffing, scheduling and equipment
   strategies. Training is key, too, to maximizing a
   RIS investment, as you’ll see in “Ensuring Success:
   RIS/PACS Consultation & Training” on page 15.                                      12	     RIS in the Outpatient Imaging 	
      A new generation of speech technology also                                              Center: Increasing Efficiency,
   looks to push the process. Advanced Speech                                                 Maximizing Revenue
   Understanding is all the buzz. Its native HL7 CDA                                          by Beth Walsh
   architecture intuitively incorporates clinical data
   into the reporting process, eliminating duplicative                                15	     Ensuring Success: 	
   processes, saving time and increasing accuracy.
                                                                                              RIS/PACS Consultation & Training
   The result: The radiologist gets to dictate the                                            by Leslie K. Anderson
   way he or she prefers, but the structured report
   produced speaks the same language as healthcare
   information systems. That speaks volumes—and
   will streamline workflow, too.
                                                         Editorial Office: 235 Promenade St., Suite 455 Providence, RI 02908                  A supplement to
                                                         401 383 5660 | Editor@HealthImaging.com
                                                         Copyright ©2008 by TriMed Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
                         Mary C. Tierney,                Reproduction in any form is forbidden without permission. The
                                                         information, opinions and statements expressed in the articles and        Sponsored by an educational grant from
                         Editorial Director              advertisements herein are those of the writer and/or advertiser.
                         mtierney@trimedmedia.com        Health Imaging & IT and GE Healthcare make no representation as
                                                         to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in the
                                                         articles. GE’s sponsorship is not intended to convey endorsement of
                                                         or affiliation with the authors.




HealthImaging.com 	                                                                                                            Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations
case study:               Cooper University Hospital | Camden, N.J.
                                                                                                                                             by Lisa Fr at t




             Changing the Playing Field
                                                                              with Integrated                                RIS/PACS
                                                          Cooper University Hospital in Camden, N.J., is a 500-bed level I trauma center that operates
           Cooper University Hospital
                                                          in a highly competitive market. The hospital sits in close proximity to Philadelphia, and the
                                                          city dominates the local healthcare market. Consequently, Cooper University Hospital faces
                                                          a tremendous challenge. It aims to retain university healthcare in the South Jersey region
                                                          and prevent patients from migrating to Philadelphia for treatment. Cooper University
                                                          Hospital houses six centers of excellence that include cardiology, trauma, critical care,
                                                          neurosciences, orthopedic surgery and the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. One of the latest
                                                          arrows in its competitive quiver is GE Healthcare Centricity RIS-IC.


 Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations		                                                                                          February 2008
T
                        he combination of integrated RIS/PACS                Mullen track bottlenecks at all levels of the imaging chain. Finally,
                        and RIS-driven workflow has reshaped the             projections provided by Centricity will provide Cooper the data to
                        enterprise, enabling it to increase produc-          make smart business decisions, answering questions about the num-
                        tivity among all physicians and boost time-          ber of technologists and equipment needed to support imaging cen-
                        liness of patient care. The radiology depart-        ters in new catchment areas. Equally important, Centricity can help
                        ment is better serving its users, too. Report        Mullen determine minimum profitable volumes for new endeavors.
                        turnaround time has dropped, and images
                        are universally available, streamlining con-         Digital workflow delivers
sultations and allowing physicians to make more informed treat-              “Centricity has had a tremendously positive impact for all the physi-
ment decisions. Here’s how the hospital achieved its results.                cians throughout the hospital,” Baraldi says. “The ease and ability of

The journey from manual to filmless (and beyond)                                The IT Angle
Cooper University Hospital operates a high-volume radiology
department. Each year, the department completes 200,000 studies                 RIS/PACS weds IT and
and offers a full range of diagnostic imaging services on the main              clinical systems, and the
hospital campus and at three satellite imaging centers. Until a few             success of an installation
years ago, the radiology department relied on film and manual pro-              hinges on both partners.
cesses to serve its patients and physicians.                                    “The most important
   “When I arrived in 2003, the radiology department was purely man-            part of the deployment
ual. It used ‘sneaker net,’ which was challenging on many levels,” recalls      is integration within your
Jerry Mullen, administrative director of radiology. The hospital real-          IT department. RIS/PACS
ized it needed to improve processes to remain competitive and provide           is a clinical tool, but it’s
quality patient care, so it began surveying the RIS/PACS landscape.             truly an IT project; you
   The ideal workflow model was clear from day one, according to                have to engage your IT
Chief of Radiology Ray Baraldi, MD. RIS/PACS uses a single database,            department,” says Jerry         [	Chief of Radiology Ray Baraldi, MD, reads
which streamlines integration of key functions. “The RIS is the brains                                          images in the main reading room at Cooper;
                                                                                Mullen, administrative          RIS/PACS has helped increase radiologist
of the engine; PACS is really just an image display,” explains Baraldi.         director of radiology           productivity with radiologists reading 50 to 100
                                                                                                                percent more studies per day. ]
The hospital focused on locating a solution to manage end-to-end                at Cooper University
workflow from scheduling to billing, says CIO Karen Graham. PACS-               Hospital in Camden, N.J. CIO Karen Graham was a key
driven workflow, on the other hand, is radiologist-centric and can lead         player in the hospital’s RIS/PACS project from day one, as the
to broken steps—and delays—in the workflow process.                             project dovetailed with her focus on corporate, rather than
   “The advantage of having the single database includes the effec-             departmental, IT structure.
tive and closely aligned functionality between the RIS and PACS,                    The hospital initiated its RIS/PACS project by soliciting input
and the integration with the HIS. Integrating from a single data-               from the IT department, sharing its clinical and workflow
base is important because the fewer databases that need to speak to             goals with a clinical and IT-based team. The IT department,
each other, the better,” adds Baraldi.                                          in turn, evaluated the architecture of various systems
   RIS-driven workflow offers other advantages, too. For example,               under consideration to ensure a good fit with the hospital’s
a sophisticated QA program monitors the number of exceptions                    infrastructure. “Find a vendor that fit’s the hospital’s approach
and lost studies. The QA program shows that Cooper University                   to IT implementation,” recommends Graham.
Hospital has reduced these metrics to zero. The system also facili-                 Prior to deploying GE Healthcare Centricity RIS-IC, the
tates proactive planning, says Mullen, who plans to use it to create            hospital invested in appropriate IT infrastructure and digital
a three- to five-year business plan to optimize PACS and grow the               imaging systems such as CR and a gigabit network. It also
hospital’s radiology business.                                                  placed RIS/PACS workstations in key areas throughout the
   Currently, the department is developing a dashboard to monitor               enterprise—including ORs and on clinical floors.
imaging utilization. “We can make sure that they’re trending in the                 The plan worked. Cooper University Hospital has
right direction and optimize our schedules if we need to change                 leapfrogged over early adopters, says Mullen. Physicians have
them,” Mullen says. “At one site where we have a no-show rate of                embraced digital image management, CPOE and RIS/PACS-
about 50 percent, we triple-book to make sure that the schedule                 embedded voice recognition to help the hospital become a
reaches capacity. Without the report generated by Centricity, I                 filmless, paperless provider of swift, high-quality healthcare.
wouldn’t know we need to overbook.” In addition, the feature helps



HealthImaging.com 	                                                                                                    Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations
image and report review has increased efficiency and productivity                  Prior to RIS/PACS, the hospital relied on film for image acquisi-
             across the board for our physicians. Some report 10 to 20 percent               tion and review and an antiquated courier system for distribution.
             increases in productivity.” The productivity increase is even more              “It was difficult to discuss findings,” recalls Eric Hume, MD, vice
             dramatic in the radiology department, where radiologists read 50 to             chair of orthopedic surgery. With Centricity, referring physicians
             100 percent more studies per day, according to James Kovacs, MD,                can review images simultaneously with radiologists and specialists.
             section head of abdominal and body imaging. Graham uses a differ-               The system relays more detailed information more rapidly. Physi-
             ent stat to describe overall workflow. “Prior to Centricity RIS-IC,             cians can point to or list the slice position number and measure and
             radiology workflow comprised more than 50 steps. Since Centricity,              describe findings collaboratively.
             the hospital has reduced that number to fewer than 10.”                            Digital image management also slashed radiology turnaround
                Productivity gains derive from ease of use, integration with other           time. The benefit to patients is two-fold, says Kovacs. Physicians can
             systems such as CPOE and elimination of manual, paper-based pro-                view images expeditiously, a critical factor in the trauma center. “Our
             cesses. For example, in many cases radiologists and technologists com-          ability to get patients back to where they need to be and to relay
             municate via Centricity instead of by telephone, which reduces wait             results impacts patient care on a daily basis,” continues Kovacs. Plus,
             time and miscommunication. Features like a simple red flag, rather              patients can access their studies, enabling smoother referrals.
             than a phone call, to alert radiologists to a STAT study also save time.
                                                                                             The winning combination
             Improved patient care under the microscope                                      GE Centricity RIS-IC and RIS-driven workflow is the perfect com-
             Importantly, the decision to deploy Centricity RIS-IC has improved              bination at Cooper University Hospital. The academic hospital and
             patient care in a number of ways at Cooper University Hospital. The hos-        trauma center has improved workflow, report turnaround time
             pital defines radiology as a service department. Its job is to image patients   and patient care since embracing the new system. What’s more, it
             and provide results to other physicians, so they can determine the next         enables data-driven decision-making and provides a solid founda-
             step in patient care. “That’s why we need RIS/PACS,” says Baraldi.              tion for future growth. ■


               Inside the Digital Department
                                              Orthopedics is traditionally a heavy consumer of imaging, and the orthopedic surgery department
                                              at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, N.J., fits inside the bell curve. It differs from some other
                                              sites, however, in its commitment to integrated RIS/PACS, RIS-driven workflow and state of the art,
                                              image-enabled surgical suites.
                                                 Three operating rooms are outfitted with video capability, workstations and a display that can
                                              be pulled down into the surgical field. Video routers that can pull images from a variety of different
                                              locations and monitors are scattered around the rooms. The routers can pull images from a variety
                                              of different locations. RIS/PACS workstations provide access to order entry via the intranet and
                                              internet. Orthopedic surgeons can navigate through imaging datasets to project images on screens
                 [ Integrated RIS/PACS has enabled image access during         through out the room. Rooms also feature light cameras, jacks for
                 surgery—a new business essential—says Cooper University       different video signals and USB and video ports for new equipment.
                 Hospital Vice Chair of Orthopedic Surgery Eric Hume, MD. ]
                                                                               Nine other ORs include PACS workstations.
                      Although the current configuration provides image access in all ORs, the hospital plans to build several new operating rooms
                   that further take advantage of RIS/PACS, laparoscopy and other video image generating technology. The key component is a
                   video router system and a computer with access to the internet, says Eric Hume, MD, vice chair of orthopedic surgery.
                      Centricity helps the department provide high-quality patient care outside the OR, too. In the film world, the image isn’t
                   always in the right place, forcing the physician to make a decision without the data, order another image or wait for the
                   data to arrive by courier. These issues no longer exist at Cooper. Images are always and universally available. And although
                   orthopedic surgeons were a bit skeptical about the ability of the hospital’s standard monitors to display imaging data, their
                   fears were unfounded. “It turns out any plain vanilla box [display] around the hospital works just fine to look at the AP lateral
                   tibia fracture before and after the nail was put in to verify the alignment. And exploding a single CT or MRI panel on a 15- or
                   17-inch monitor shows detail not visible on three-by-four inch plain film panels,” says Hume.
                      The upshot? RIS/PACS has become a business essential in the 21st century orthopedic surgery department. “It’s like email
                   or the ATM; we couldn’t do without it,” states Hume.




 Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations		                                                                                                 February 2008
Radiology  Imaging Specialists | Lakeland, Fla.                                      case study:
by Lisa Fr at t




                         [ Radiologist Scott Fargher, MD, reads PET images on a GE Healthcare
                         Centricity RIS-IC workstation at one of Radiology and Imaging Specialists’
                         imaging centers in Lakeland, Fla. ]




         RIS-driven Workflow
         Simplifies a Complex Practice
                            Radiology and Imaging Specialists in Lakeland, Fla., is a complex radiology
                            practice. The group provides professional services for four hospitals in
                            central Florida and operates five geographically diverse imaging centers.
                            Its 17 radiologists interpret 500,000 studies for more than 100 referring
                            physician offices annually. In addition, Radiology and Imaging Specialists
                            leases its image management system to another practice.




HealthImaging.com 	                                                                             Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations
T
                                         he practice’s complex configuration is         pre-certifications. RIS/PACS automates theses key workflows; the
                                         profitable in the booming central Florida      practice is confident that staff has efficiently gathered all informa-
                                         market, but it does present significant        tion needed for both reimbursement and patient safety. In addi-
                                         challenges. COO and CIO David Marichal         tion, items like patient allergies and contraindications are visible
                                         explains, “When I arrived in 2003, the         across the system to prevent problems.
                                         practice had no RIS or PACS. There were           RIS-driven workflow also helped the practice improve physician
                                         too many workflow inefficiencies for a         workflow, allowing it to deliver everything radiologists need to
                                         standard standalone PACS.”                     accurately interpret the study in the minimum number of clicks.
                Marichal realized that web-based RIS architecture could address         The patient record and images are available in a single location.
             many of the practice’s challenges by providing a consistent view of        RIS/PACS also separates studies for referring physicians who com-
             the practice from any location.                                            plete their own interpretations. Images are in a distinct worklist
                In 2004, Radiology and Imaging Specialists deployed GE Health-          and don’t cross-contaminate radiology workflow. “Everyone is
             care Centricity RIS-IC, integrating the system with a third-party          happy,” Marichal says. “The patient exam and report distribution
             PACS. The transition to RIS-driven workflow reinvented the prac-           are timely, which satisfies patients and referring physicians. And we
             tice; it facilitates streamlined workflow for all users, which, in turn,   know we will be paid. These aren’t mutually exclusive benefits.”
             trims expenses and improves service.
                                                                                        From paper-driven to film-free via IT
                                        “The patient exam and report                    Technology is the ticket to the transition from inefficient, paper-
                                                                                        heavy radiology to streamlined, digital workflow. Radiology and
                                        distribution are timely, which                  Imaging Specialists invested heavily in technical infrastructure to
                                        satisfies patients and referring                support its RIS/PACS implementation.
                                                                                           Its sophisticated network infrastructure is built around a fiber
                                        physicians. And we know                         optic network that connects all of the practice’s imaging centers.
                                        we will be paid. These aren’t                   Recently, the practice upgraded from a VPN mesh to a hub and
                                                                                        spoke-straight VLAN configuration. The hefty network also sup-
                                        mutually exclusive benefits.”                   plies bandwidth needed to share workload among radiologists.
                                        David Marichal, COO  CIO                       Because the web-based system provides consistent, universal access
                                        Radiology and Imaging Specialists
                                                                                        across imaging centers and at radiologists’ homes, they can view
                                                                                        and share daily worklists to support every site.
             The first step: workflow analysis                                             Another critical component in the IT recipe is the workstation.
             Radiology and Imaging Specialists was mired in inefficient workflow        “It’s important to provide a positive experience for end-users. This
             prior to installing Centricity RIS-IC; however, simply purchasing a        requires workstations that meet RIS and PACS hardware require-
             system does not guarantee optimal results. The practice deployed RIS       ments,” explains Marichal. Radiology and imaging Specialists
             and PACS concurrently and built its workflow around the synergy of         opted for Windows-based PCs with 256 RAM. The practice also
             the two systems, designating Centricity RIS as the workflow engine.        redesigned its reading rooms to accommodate workflow.
                The rationale behind RIS-driven rather than PACS-centric                   “The reading rooms are built around the electronic system, putting
             workflow is simple. RIS begins and ends the work process. Radiol-          everything we need at our hands,” explains Christian Schmitt, MD,
             ogy workflow starts with scheduling and ends with billing; PACS            informatics medical director. Reading room workstations have a four-
             can not handle those tasks. RIS puts information in the hands of           monitor configuration so clinical information from the RIS is easily
             every decision-maker—from the radiologist to the scheduler and             viewed and displayed in addition to the PACS viewing tools on the
             the technologist, says Director of Informatics Sal Tejeda.                 other three monitors. Workstations are configured with 4 GB of RAM
                Radiology and Imaging Specialists undertook a thorough workflow         to accommodate any tools radiologists need to view data and images.
             analysis prior to deployment, examining every step of every process of        A final piece of the puzzle is a robust data center that can pass all
             its business. One of the top complaints of employees? Paper and the        data from one location to others. The 600-square-foot center
             requisite paper shuffling in a non-automated practice.                     includes an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), backup battery,
                Prior to the RIS/PACS deployment, scheduling and billing                independent generator, climate control and fire suppression. The
             required multiple phone calls and considerable paperwork. Both             result is near-perfect uptime.
             drained efficiency. In contrast, the ideal scheduling and insurance
             workflows are based on solid, efficient processes that allow a prac-       Inside the RIS-driven practice
             tice to capture all necessary information for authorizations and           RIS-driven radiology delivers a number of benefits: efficient, accu-



 Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations		                                                                                             February 2008
rate billing, improved patient care and streamlined workflow. Prior          oughly evaluated and tested workflows to maximize efficiencies
to RIS/PACS, Radiology and Imaging Specialists relied on paper               with Centricity RIS-IC and offered a strong training program. The
billing. The practice was not sure it captured all charges because           practice wrapped introductory training into a six-week simulation
the process hinged on paper.                                                 before going live with the system. The training included a post go-
   Centricity RIS-IC, on the other hand, features an electronic              live debriefing at the end of the first week, and the practice holds
charge interface. Coders vet items before they go to the billing             staff refresher training at least once a year or after product
interface to simplify and accelerate the process.                            upgrades/updates.
   Scheduling is equally efficient. With universal access to all sites and      The center aims tap into RIS/PACS to raise the bar again. For exam-
imaging resources, schedulers can place patients in the first available      ple, Radiology Imaging and Specialists intends to reward schedulers
slot. “That’s important because referring physicians want the first          who meet established benchmarks, which requires metrics and a solid
available appointment, or they’ll take their business somewhere else,”       RIS reporting system, says Marichal. Centricity fits the bill.  
notes Marichal. The integrated, brokerless system also drives an intense
resource utilization program at Radiology Imaging and Specialists, in        Reinventing the practice
which the practice analyzes how much of the time slot it uses for each       Centricity RIS-IC has provided Radiology and Imaging Specialists
type of exam to optimize imaging resources.                                  a means to reinvent its practice, improving workflow and patient
   “Centricity RIS-IC helps track productivity from schedulers to            care across the board. The imaging center group is completing
technologists,” notes Darla Mosley, applications manager. “We’ve             more studies and turning them around in a shorter time frame
been able to determine how long a patient is in the office, how long         with fewer staff. In other words, the practice has found the recipe
the exam takes, and then we can adjust our times accordingly,                for success in 21st century imaging center business. ■
which helps with the schedule. We can accommodate more patients
than we did before.”
   In addition, if the practice is backlogged in one area, it can shorten
exam time a bit. Finally, the system helped justify the RIS/PACS                                 VIDEO

investment. Prior to RIS/PACS, Radiology Imaging and Specialists
staffed each center with six radiologists. Post-deployment center
staffing dropped to four radiologists. Ancillary staff has been reduced
approximately 10 percent through attrition.                                                                                 WITH QA

Optimized patient care
Automating processes to improve productivity and the bottom line
is essential in today’s tight economic environment; however, the
first priority in healthcare is patient care. Centricity RIS-IC helps
Radiology Imaging and Specialists meet it dual objectives by speed-
                                                                                                           Featuring interviews and QA with
ing turnaround time and improving access to images.                                                        clinical and IT thoughtleaders from:
   Consider for example oncology patients. Many travel to different                                        United Memorial Medical Center
Radiology Imaging and Specialists sites for imaging studies. Cen-                                          Batavia, N.Y.
tricity RIS-IC collects images from various sites, making them                                             Radiology  Imaging Specialists
available in a single application for review at cancer conferences.                                        Lakeland, Fla.
“We can make decisions about the patient’s therapy based on ade-                                           Cooper University Hospital
                                                                                                           Camden, N.J.
quate and thorough information rather than one piece of informa-
tion or one study,” says Schmitt.   
                                                                                                                                  VIEW
An ongoing process                                                                                                               ARCHIVE
RIS/PACS is not a project that begins and ends on certain dates. It
is an ongoing process that begins before deployment and, in an
ideal situation, continues after installation as the practice taps into
the system to derive new benefits.
   Radiology Imaging and Specialists initiated its deployment with
an implementation team with broad membership including radi-
ologists, technologists, schedulers and IT staff. The team thor-



HealthImaging.com 	                                                                                                Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations
case study:               United Memorial Medical Center | Batavia, N.Y.
                                                                                                                                by Lisa Fr at t




   [ Carol Vanderberg, specialist assistant in radiology, at
   United Memorial Medical Center reviews CR-based digital
   mammograms on the GE Healthcare Centricity RIS-IC that
   links the healthcare organization’s five campuses. ]




                 RIS/PACS Propels the
                 Community Hospital
                                                               In some respects, United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC) of Batavia, N.Y.,
                                                               is a typical community hospital. It is composed of five campuses including a
                                                               111-bed hospital and four imaging centers. The group completes 50,000
                                                               imaging studies annually. Imaging modalities include multidetector CT, CR-
                                                               based digital mammography, ultrasound, MRI, CR and digital fluoroscopy.



 Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations		                                                                             February 2008
A
                           s the only hospital in the county, UMMC            analysis. “Our goal was to use technology to streamline activities,”
                           is somewhat challenged. For starters, it           Ireland says. By strategically locating status boards within the
                           employs a single radiologist (supported by         department and placing barcode scanners in radiology rooms,
                           a specialist assistant in radiology), which        UMMC has slashed its paper consumption, replacing paper with
                           can make it difficult to manage imaging            electronic data flow. The workflow analysis helped the hospital
                           volume, provide acceptable report turn-            track pressure points to help it determine where to place PACS
                           around time and review the breadth of              workstations. Wall-mounted units and mobile carts complement
                           modality procedures, especially subspe-            fixed workstations to provide physicians access to images and lab
cialty and ER reads. Four external radiologists based in Buffalo, N.Y.,       results anywhere in the hospital, including at the patient bedside.
help manage the center’s daily workload, so robust digital image                 Centricity RIS-IC enables electronic billing, another critical work-
management processes are critical. Secondly, the metropolitan areas
of Rochester and Buffalo are within an hour’s drive; it’s important to
maintain high-quality local care to keep patients local.                          Advice from the Field
   The organization’s decisions to deploy GE Centricity RIS-IC
                                                                                                Implementing RIS/PACS is a major undertaking
in 2001 and to pioneer PACS with integrated RIS and voice
                                                                                                  particularly for smaller, community hospitals.
recognition in 2006 play a vital role in UMMC’s ability to
                                                                                                    United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC)
provide optimal, local patient care. What’s more, workflow
                                                                                                    in Batavia, N.Y., has optimized RIS/PACS to
and report turnaround time are significantly improved
                                                                                                     improve service at all levels, slash paper and
with integrated RIS/PACS and RIS-driven workflow.
                                                                                                     film use and grow its business. Its RIS/PACS
                                                                                                    team offers some advice for colleagues
RIS rules
                                                                                                   looking to purchase a system.
Centricity RIS-IC is the workhorse behind the smoothly
functioning radiology department at UMMC. The rationale                                        ✓ Cost is a key focus, says Medical Imaging
                                                                     [ Mary Niland, RIS/PACS      Supervisor Lisa Foss, but it should be tempered.
behind the staggered, RIS-first deployment is quite simple.           administrator, UMMC ]
The RIS provides a means to capture accurate information and                                      “Everyone has to use the system. If it’s difficult to
                                                                                     use and navigate, price becomes much less relevant.”
populate the PACS, says Lisa Foss, medical imaging supervisor. An
interface with the HIS also facilitates patient processing and sched-            ✓ Train, train, train. UMMC RIS/PACS Administrator Mary
uling. “RIS-driven workflow helps bring the patient through the                      Niland established training centers to educate staff and
department a lot smoother. Data like patient registration flows                      clinicians from various departments. She also visited
                                                                                     referring physicians’ offices to set up the system on their
from the HIS to the RIS, leading to fewer data entry errors and less
                                                                                     computers and complete one-on-one education. The efforts
manual work for technologists,” says RIS/PACS Administrator
                                                                                     helped persuade reluctant physicians to give up film.
Mary Niland.
   Physicians, both referring doctors and radiologists, benefit, too.            ✓ Tap into internal and external resources. Colleagues
The RIS centralizes all radiology reports and imaging files, provid-                 can provide a wealth of information on peripherals like CD
                                                                                     burners and modality integration. On the internal
ing streamlined access to reports and images for referring physi-
                                                                                     side, carefully track workflow of all film users to
cians. It also provides a line of communication between radiolo-
                                                                                     understand areas that can be improved by
gists and technologists, which boosts workflow. For example, the                     digital workflow.
radiologist can view images immediately after acquisition. If a
study requires additional views or a retake, the radiologist can relay
                                                                                 ✓ Look at compatibility between the
                                                                                     HIS, RIS and PACS. The RIS and HIS
that information to the technologist—without leaving his chair or
                                                                                     must communicate effectively on a daily
breaking workflow.                                                                   basis. A single vendor RIS/PACS reduces
   Both parties in the image reporting equation—referring clini-                     integration challenges and streamlines
cian and radiologist—also gain from embedded voice recognition.                      the end-user experience. Think single
Prior to Centricity, UMMC used a third-party system that required                    password, single log-in.
an additional server, interface and HL7 message. The Centricity                                                                                [ Darren Kazmierczak,
                                                                                 ✓ Plan for site visits to see systems in action.          director of radiology, UMMC ]
system streamlines management, says Niland, and allows the radi-                     Try to visit a facility of similar size and needs
ologist to manage reports from a single home page, which, in turn,                   as your own. It can be very helpful to arrange to visit sites
helps cut turnaround time.                                                           that use the same RIS and HIS as yours as well, says Darren
   Dan Ireland, vice president of clinical support services, credits                 Kazmierczak, director of radiology.
the center’s workflow success story to a complete pre-RIS workflow



HealthImaging.com 	                                                                                                    Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations
flow booster. Prior to Centricity, UMMS used a courier service to        review. Any discrepancies between the initial ER read and the radiol-
           ship hundreds of billing reports to its billing company every day.       ogist’s review required paper forms and phone calls. Now, images are
           Now, reports are generated automatically within Centricity and sent      shared electronically between the departments. If a radiologist finds
           electronically to the billing company, saving the time and dollars       a discrepancy, Centricity generates a note to inform the ER.
           associated with the paper approach. In addition, bills can be gener-
           ated more rapidly, which translates into accelerated collections.
              Centricity RIS-IC provides other significant advantages, too.
           The RIS incorporates data-mining capabilities, helping the medical
                                                                                     “Patients who come to
           center optimize resources. For example, when evening technolo-            the hospital for STAT work
           gists complained about their workload and clamored for another
           FTE, Foss ran a technologist productivity report for seven days. She
                                                                                     can wait in the waiting
           found that volume was significantly higher during the 3 to 7 p.m.         room because reports are
           period. Instead of hiring an additional tech or authorizing over-         completed so quickly. ”
           time, Foss juggled the schedule to provide triple coverage during
           the department’s busiest hours, saving the hospital critical dollars      Lisa Foss, medical imaging supervisor, UMMC
           and keeping hard-to-replace employees satisfied.
              The workflow and data-mining benefits of Centricity RIS-IC and
           PACS are ongoing, says Director of Radiology Darren Kazmierczak.            “Our ER physicians are much more satisfied,” sums Ireland.
           “We’re constantly reevaluating our workflow to see what we can           “They can review images right in the ER, and they can share them
           change efficiently, and it’s all based on having RIS/PACS.”              with patients.” Centricity streamlines consults, making it easy for
                                                                                    physicians to transmit images to Buffalo hospitals for sub-specialty
           Customer satisfaction                                                    review as needed.
           Customer service can be a tall order, particularly in tight depart-         The digital system also helps the hospital maintain a competitive
           ments with a single radiologist. Centricity helps UMMC maximize          edge with referring physicians, specifically by helping the hospital
           its single radiologist and provide outstanding service to internal       minimize report turnaround. Some primary-care physicians
           and external customers.                                                  admitted to referring patients out of town in the center’s pre-RIS/
                                                                                    PACS days because it was difficult for the single radiologist to make
                                                                                    a timely diagnosis, says Ireland. Since Centricity, however, some
                                 “Our ER physicians are much                        have returned to UMMC because the radiologist can return results
                                 more satisfied [since we                           with an hour of the study. In fact, in the last year UMMC improved
                                 added RIS/PACS]. They can                          on its 5 percent annual growth rate, achieving a phenomenal 19
                                                                                    percent growth. Ireland credits the growth to Centricity. “With
                                 review images right in the                         RIS/PACS, we’re able to provide the level of service expected by our
                                 ER, and they can share them                        primary-care physicians and patients.”
                                                                                       One patient group particularly satisfied with digital image man-
                                 with patients.”                                    agement model is STAT patients. “Patients who come to the hospi-
                                 Dan Ireland, vice president of clinical support    tal for STAT work can wait in the waiting room because reports are
                                 services, UMMC
                                                                                    completed so quickly. The radiologist can call the referring physi-
                                                                                    cian with results to find out if the patient should go to the office, ER
              Take for example the emergency department. ER physicians have         or home. Patients aren’t driving home to find out they should
           specific, critical needs—specifically rapid, accurate review. The hos-   return to the hospital,” explains Foss.
           pital runs weekly ER reports to monitor turnaround time. “When we
           first implemented Centricity RIS-IC, we measured turnaround time         A perfect fit
           in hours. Now we measure it in minutes. We turnaround 68 percent         Centricity RIS-IC is a perfect fit for UMMC. The community
           of ER reports within 15 minutes,” Niland says. That rapid turn-          medical center has achieved key goals since deploying the inte-
           around helps physicians provide timely, informed patient care.           grated system. Customer service is improved via rapid report
              Another bugaboo in the conventional ER is discrepancy tracking.       turnaround; business is booming and physicians, technologists,
           Prior to RIS/PACS, UMMC relied on a manual process with the radi-        and patients are satisfied. The system provides access to data,
           ology department staff walking to the ER every morning to chase          helping the center continue to improve services. Paper is gone,
           films and bring them back to the department for the radiologist to       and film consumption is negligible. ■



10 Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations		                                                                                        February 2008
by Lisa Fr at t




                        The Next-Generation ‘Smart’ Report
Standard voice recognition technology is far from cutting edge. In fact, voice                                ability to exchange data with other health-
recognition has existed in various forms since the 1960s; however, after 40 years                             care information systems. Radiologists,
on the market, healthcare has not tuned in to speech. In fact, fewer than half of                             however, tend to shun structured reporting
                                                                                                              because it can be more time-consuming
all hospital specialties embrace voice recognition technology.
                                                                                                              than free-form documentation. HL7 CDA
   The mediocre adoption rate is some-           workflow to make it available to the radi-                   provides a means to dictate in the way radi-
what paradoxical particularly in radiolo-        ologist for the report.                                      ologists prefer and produce a structured
gy as the report is the final product of the        The enabling technology for the next-                     report that speaks the same language as
radiologist’s work and necessary for pay-        generation solution is a structured docu-                    other healthcare information systems.   
ment and clinical decision-making. One           mentation process based on HL7 Clinical
reason behind the less-than-enthusiastic         Data Architecture (CDA). The native HL7                      Speech: The last word
acceptance of speech recognition is most         CDA architecture combines and re-uses                        Speech is one of the next frontiers in radiol-
systems are add-ons to radiology work-           data, allowing radiologists to spend less                    ogy workflow. Effective speech recognition
flow rather than an integrated part of the       time working on reports while simultane-                     can help address the tough challenges in the
workflow process.                                ously producing a higher value document.                     radiology world by boosting productivity
   GE Healthcare aims to re-draw the speech         Advanced Speech Understanding bridg-                      and improving the final radiology product.
market by injecting new utility into voice       es both flavors of traditional speech tech-                  Advanced Speech Understanding represents
recognition. The company is collaborating        nology—free-form documentation and                           the evolution of speech recognition technol-
with M*Modal to develop a next-generation        structured reporting. Structured reporting                   ogy. It will boost adoption and improve
natural language processing system.              offers certain advantages, particularly the                  radiology workflow and products. ■
   The evolutionary solution—Advanced
Speech Understanding—weds sophisticat-           [ Advanced Speech Understanding is the next generation in speech—which automatically incorporates clinical data into
ed technology and workflows. The speech          the reporting process. GE Healthcare is imbedding Centricity RIS-IC into its Speech Understanding from M*Modal. ]
engine is embedded in Centricity RIS to
make reporting part of the natural work-
flow. Advanced Speech Understanding
meets the dual challenges facing speech. It
makes speech an integral part of the radi-
ology workflow and capitalizes on the rich
patient data available at every step of the
radiology process.
   Advanced Speech Understanding deliv-
ers added value by incorporating clinical
data into the reporting process to eliminate
duplicative processes. For example, during
the scheduling process the scheduler cap-
tures data like signs and symptoms. Such
data can be found at every step of the imag-
ing chain and is critical to the final radiol-
ogy report. Advanced Speech Understand-
ing pulls the data through the imaging



HealthImaging.com 	                                                                                                           Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations 11
by Beth Walsh




           RIS in the Outpatient
           Imaging Center                                        Increasing Efficiency, Maximizing Revenue
                                                           With the economic challenges of the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA), marketplace
                                                           competition and the quest to streamline processes facing outpatient imaging
                                                           centers, anything that can help increase efficiency is more than welcome. A
                                                           good RIS helps centers track patients, physicians and revenue—while staying
                                                           on schedule and on budget. The right tools can even help organizations
                                                           determine when and where to expand their services.


12 Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations		                                                                            February 2008
e set out to produce a RIS that              Once the appointment can be confirmed with the office, the
                                     increased the efficiencies and max-       referring practice caller can get off the phone, which is appreciated.
                                     imized revenue within the facility,”      “Once the exam is scheduled, we collect authorization information
                                     says Rhonda Eckstein, director,           as needed,” Weathersbee says. The generic exams are created in the
                                     Product Management, Dynamic               RIS as a non-billable/non-reportable exam. “That keeps them from
                                     Imaging Solutions, GE Healthcare          going through the system by accident,” he explains. “They can’t
                                    Integrated IT Solutions.                   reach the finalized signed state as a generic exam. The tech has to go
                                        One way the RIS increases effi-        in and do an Enter/Edit of the exam to make it a specific code that
ciencies is with key event monitoring. “That ensures that each step of         makes the exam billable and reportable.”
the process is completed before the patient can move on to the next               This process is a good example of Jefferson Radiology’s ability to
step,” she says. For example, before a patient is considered registered, the   configure the RIS in a unique way that solved a business problem
system makes sure that all required information has been collected.            and let the practice improve its customer service, Weathersbee says.
                                                                               It also helped improve the practice’s revenue cycle. The protocoling
Relying on RIS                                                                 worklists within the RIS allow proofing against the authorization
“We rely on the RIS very heavily,” says Mark Weathersbee, CIO at               codes. “Through reports we can create in the RIS, we can make sure
Jefferson Radiology, a user of GE’s Centricity RIS-IC.                         we have the proper authorizations and we’re not performing exams
   Jefferson uses Centricity RIS-IC for scheduling, creating call-             for which we’re not going to get paid.”
back lists, arrival tracking, exam memos, communication between                   Jefferson recently acquired a practice with two locations, for a cur-
technologists and radiologists, and to help the group go to a paper-           rent total of eight locations. Within the next few months, the two
less reading room.
                                                                               [ Jefferson Radiology in West Hartford, Conn., manages radiology workflow
   The paperless reading room was a new initiative last fall that              for its eight locations—from scheduling through reporting and billing—via GE
Weathersbee says was primarily physician-driven. “They decided                 Healthcare’s Centricity RIS-IC. ]
on their own that they didn’t want to deal with so much paperwork,”
he says. The biggest obstacle to a paperless reading room was the
doctors having to manually input patient numbers rather than use
the bar-coded documents. Once the doctors adjusted to the new
process, it “really made the workflow go a lot easier and quicker.”
   Electronic reports have been beneficial for referring physician
practices, says Weathersbee. About 60 percent of access to the online
reports and images is by the practices’ nurses, staff and support per-
sonnel. The ability to facilitate that access has improved Jefferson’s
position in the marketplace, he says.
   To get the most out of its RIS, Jefferson customized it
in many ways, Weathersbee says. One way was schedul-
ing. “Schedulers need to have a lot of clinical data,” he
says. For example, does a particular CT exam need con-
trast? Frequently the schedulers would arrange one
study and then, at the time of the appointment, clini-
cians would make changes. “Based on information in
the medical record, the protocol was different,” Weath-
ersbee says. “It was a constant burden for schedulers.
The radiologists and technologists were always asking
why the schedulers couldn’t schedule the right exam.”
   To combat the problem, the practice decided to go
with simple, generic scheduling that involves an exam
list for each organization, the modality code and the
body part code. The list is driven off of the CPT list,
but it’s generalized and allows schedulers to get the key
components of what the physician office wants to
know—location, date and time for the exam.



HealthImaging.com 	                                                                                                       Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations 13
new sites will be consolidated to one and a new facility will open in a            reports we need to make sure we’re filling our schedule efficiently so
           different area. The RIS helped the practice evaluate the overall vol-              that our patients have the best possible access to our imaging ser-
           umes for the modalities being implemented at those two additional                  vices.” Weekly, he can see how the organization is tracking toward
           locations, Weathersbee says. “Data captured in the RIS was definitely              volume and collection goals. Monthly, reports are produced to track
           a decision point in deciding what to do with those two offices.”                   progress toward annual goals. “A systematic approach to reviewing
                                                                                              our performance data is very important to us,” he says. “It’s some-
           [ Liberty Pacific Medical Imaging chose Centricity RIS/PACS-IW (formerly Dynamic
           Imaging’s IntegradWeb RIS/PACS) when developing new imaging centers in Castro      thing we really like about our RIS.” Another plus is that “it doesn’t
           Valley, Calif., and Columbus, Ohio. Centricity RIS/PACS-IW includes a contract     take a lot of manpower to produce that data.”
           management module that incorporates complex logic to estimate net revenue
           based upon payor use of DRA, HOPPS or both DRA and HOPPS fee schedules. The           Those reporting abilities provide a “snapshot view of all key indi-
           highlighted areas are calculated for each visit and enable centers to accurately   cators,” says Eckstein. That includes volumes and revenues, out-
           project the impact of DRA on their patient/payor mix versus budget. ]
                                                                                              standing accounts receivable and unbilled accounts. Users also can
                                                                                              monitor staff, physician referral patterns, unbilled accounts, and,
                                                                                              most importantly, medical reports—the final product. “A timely
                                                                                              interpretation is what the referring physicians are looking for,” she
                                                                                              says. “We have management reports that allow facilities to track
                                                                                              closely where those medical reports are.”
                                                                                                         One element of the RIS is DRA Logic. For multiple, same-
                                                                                                      day procedures, some insurance companies reduce the tech-
                                                                                                      nical component by 25 percent. “We built that logic in,” says
                                                                                                      Eckstein. Users only need to load their payer contract and
                                                                                                      the system will automatically calculate the 75 percent reim-
                                                                                                      bursement of the technical component and display expected
                                                                                                      net revenue. Without that, users wouldn’t automatically
                                                                                                      take such discounts into account and “have no way of know-
           New RIS for new locations                                                                  ing if they’re getting the correct payment.”
           Liberty Pacific Medical Imaging                                                               To choose the best RIS for your organization, Draye says he
           chose Centricity RIS/PACS-IW                                                               would “encourage someone to try and match their workflow
           (formerly Dynamic Imaging’s IntegradWeb RIS/PACS) when                             with the RIS products they’re evaluating. They should imagine them-
           developing new imaging centers in Castro Valley, Calif., and                       selves using that RIS and think about its features and the most
           Columbus, Ohio, in the beginning of 2007, says CIO Anthony                         important aspects of their workflow and make sure the two are in
           Draye. When developing new centers, the organization had to                        synch.” Because a RIS is not “one size fits all,” he says, “it requires lots
           decide whether to continue with an under-performing, legacy RIS                    of effort to properly integrate a system into an organization’s work-
           or employ a new RIS, according to Draye. They decided to look for                  flow. Choosing the right RIS is key to successfully achieving that.”
           a new RIS. “Dynamic Imaging [which was acquired by GE late in
           2007] had what we were looking for and having one vendor for both                  Coming soon…
           RIS and PACS in the outpatient world adds efficiency.”                             GE has plenty of new features on the horizon for Centricity users.
               Liberty Pacific appreciates that the Centricity product is a “very             The company recently released its CPT level billing logic, Eckstein
           modern and well-engineered software product.” Choosing RIS                         says. “Our collectors desktop work queues are in development, as
           software that has a forward-thinking technology roadmap behind                     well as authorization alerts for those payors that require authoriza-
           it gives imaging centers peace of mind that their systems will evolve              tion before a study is performed.” The collectors desktop tool
           with them. Using a product that is up-to-date with modern soft-                    involves user-specific worklists that will automatically display a
           ware standards ensures that it is “future proof.”                                  user’s accounts to be worked for follow-up based on system rules.
               The billing capabilities of the RIS also appealed to Liberty Pacif-               Aside from these kinds of tools, Eckstein says GE has kept the focus on
           ic, Draye says. “In the current environment, billing is very impor-                a user-friendly system. “We tried to remain consistent on all screens.
           tant.” Plus, “we didn’t have to buy third-party software to do docu-               Specific data fields always link the user to a specific place. We kept that
           ment management or other specific functions. It’s all in this one                  consistency from screen to screen. That has made it very user-friendly.”
           product. It’s a complete RIS.”                                                        With all of these considerations, Eckstein says the product “truly is an
               Liberty Pacific probably gets the most bang for its RIS buck                   entire solution—with a single desktop, scheduling through, zero bal-
           through the daily, weekly and monthly performance analysis con-                    ance, billing and collection system—that hopefully increases efficiencies
           ducted through the system, Draye says. “The RIS produces the daily                 and facilitates maximum reimbursement. That’s what it’s all about.” ■



14 Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations		                                                                                                     February 2008
Blount Memorial Hospital | Maryville, Tenn.                  case study:
by Leslie K. Anderson




   [ PACS administrators at Blount Memorial deployed super-users such
   as this one as RIS/PACS training resources for the entire facility. ]




Ensuring Success	
RIS/PACS Consultation  Training
What happens between a facility and a technology vendor after they ink a contract               the 305-bed community hospital in
can make the difference between success and failure in a RIS/PACS implementation.               Maryville, Tenn.
                                                                                                   Phil Berler provided management
Having just experienced the smooth “go-live” of their new integrated Centricity RIS/
                                                                                                consultation services from GE from
PACS from GE Healthcare, Blount Memorial Hospital radiology staff members know                  kick-off through post go-live. “Phil
firsthand the value of solid consulting and training services.                                  knows the radiology business,” says
                                                                                                D. Charles Price, RN, Blount’s clinical
Kick-off to go-live                                                analyst, project manager, information systems. “He managed a
With the flip of a switch on Sept. 10, 2007, Blount went live with radiology department for 17 years in New York City. He knows the
GE Centricity RIS-IC 10.5 and Centricity PACS 3.0.1 to manage      systems from the technologist and management standpoint. For
the 120,000-plus imaging procedures the main hospital performs     me, I was a staff nurse before I took the technology job and he
annually. As part of the contract with GE, Blount received an      helped me to understand the process from a general standpoint. He
array of consulting and training services to help them maximize    was always ready with an answer.”
benefits from the new system from the clinical, IT, management        Berler, one of the seven-member team, spent several days onsite
and operations perspectives. It was evident that day that the RIS/ evaluating the workflow at Blount. “The first few times he watched
PACS consultation and training services from GE had paid off for   flow in the department—beginning with admitting and scheduling,



HealthImaging.com 	                                                                                     Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations 15
Workflow analysis is a key
                                                                                       component to any successful Go-Live:
                                                                                       Dartmouth-Hitchcock

                                                                                        John Sundnas, RIS/PACS administrator for Dartmouth-
           through obtaining images and archiving—he sat with various                   Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., has 25 years of
           employees or stood in different areas of the department to watch how         experience implementing and supporting pathology and
           we did business,” says Price. “He was onsite at least five times, plus       radiology clinical information systems, including successful
           sent emails and conducted conference calls.” From there, Berler              go-lives for GE Healthcare’s RIS and PACS.
           drafted a future workflow report based on the current workflow.                 A key component to a successful go-live, says Sundnas,
                                                                                        is analyzing facility and patient workflow. Part of that
           Under the looking glass                                                      involves including the entire facility in the workflow analysis
           As an example, one of the problems Berler discovered was overbooking         and documentation process.
           and insufficient use of scheduling personnel. “Before we had only one           According to Sundnas, Dartmouth-Hitchcock performed
           person per modality doing scheduling at the front desk; now we have          a workflow analysis to determine how film flowed among
           three who can schedule [appointments] for all of the modalities,” says       the center’s 400 healthcare providers and to find the best
           John T. Cadieux, BS, RT (R), technical coordinator, radiology. The           way to provide access to digital images. Sundnas says
           scheduling change has allowed for more efficient use of the imaging          that by using a recommended implementation plan from
           equipment with less idle time for each system. “Phil helped us do away       GE, they were able to create a workflow plan that they
           with scheduling books and streamline patient throughput.”                    were able to alter and adjust as needed throughout the
              Throughout the planning and testing process, Berler made sub-             entire process.
           sequent visits to see how Blount staff was doing with the changes in         ✓ Analyze  Document Facility Workflow
           workflow and suggested adjustments as necessary. For a period,                 Spend time up-front to conduct a workflow analysis
           both the old system and new system ran concurrently, followed by               of all staff and their activities including schedulers,
           a simulation where the new system was put through a dry run.                   technologists, residents, fellows and staff radiologists.
           “During the planning phase, the team planned for a certain piece of            Pay close attention to the image library to determine how
           the implementation to go a certain way. But during the simulation,             film flows to viewing workstations. Ask yourself: “where
           we found out that process would not work in real-time. We had to               were images being used, and how do we provide
           look at the process again and make changes,” says Cadieux.                     filmless viewing at those stations?”
                                                                                        ✓ Analyze  Document Patient Imaging Workflow
           Training musts                                                                 Look at patient workflow in relation to imaging. Ask
           Training was another key to RIS/PACS success. “GE had a ‘train the             yourself: “If patients come in with their own films, are
           trainer’ mentality,” he says. A master training program provided               they leaving the office with their films?” If a film leaves the
           special emphasis on creating super-users, who became the go-to                 office, how does film get back into the department to be
           people onsite. Master-user training was very thorough, Cadieux                 interpreted by the radiologist?
           says, including onsite training, online training using WebEx, and            ✓ Involve Everyone to be Fully Vested in the System
           training for both systems at GE training facilities.                           Sundnas says that by including multiple departments
              Cadieux says he and PACS Administrator Mike Headrick, RT,                   and staff members in the workflow analysis prior
           spoke with supervisors to decide who the super-users would be, ask-            to go-live helps to vest everyone more fully in the
           ing questions like: “Who can we trust to handle this responsibility?           implementation. Get them involved by providing a weekly
           Who is going to take on this responsibility and handle it well?”               forum for them to express their concerns, give insight
              Once chosen, super-users were trained on what was relevant to               into their day-to-day activities to accept changes that
           their jobs, Cadieux says. “We set up an intro class to the system,             are coming and make the transition successful. Sundnas
           began two- to three-hour training sessions a week later for three              says they continue to hold weekly meetings within the
           technologists and three schedulers at a time, and then did another             department to share information and bring up concerns
           training session one month before go-live.” Cadieux says that GE               about the system and how it is working.
           assisted with the initial super-user training session to ensure things
           went smoothly. “After that, we and the super-users began training
           the rest of the facility,” he says.                                      Answering the call to action
              “We hoped that the training would provide the super-users with a      In January, the RIS/PACS and training was put to a big test. Blount
           base of knowledge of what the system administrators do so that we        experienced a “code blue” as the result of an ice storm in the area
           would not be bombarded post go-live,” says Cadieux. “If there are only   causing the emergency room to overflow. “If we hadn’t trained and
           two people who know how to fix the problem, then you are going to be     implemented the way we did, we would not have been able to handle
           swamped. Having a super-user to handle the small things—such as          the catastrophe,” says Cadieux. “We were able to get a lot of patients
           patient exam merges—keeps workflow moving on my end.”                    through quickly. The GE RIS/PACS made it so smooth.” ■



16 Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations		                                                                                      February 2008
GE Healthcare


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you the full picture?
Improving patient care is about more than viewing images and capturing
a vast set of data. It’s about insight—seeing the nature of complex situations
and applying the right course of action. From accelerating clinical workflows
to innovating enterprise-wide image analysis, Centricity® Imaging helps
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© 2008 General Electric Company. All rights reserved. GE, the GE monogram
and Centricity are registered trademarks of General Electric Company.
Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations

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Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations

  • 1. F e b r u a r y 20 0 8 s u p p l e m e n t to Cooper University Hospital Changing the Playing Field with Integrated RIS/PACS Radiology and Imaging Specialists RIS-driven Workflow Simplifies a Complex Practice United Memorial Medical Center RIS/PACS Propels the Community Hospital Speech: The Next-Generation ‘Smart’ Report RIS in the Outpatient Imaging Center Ensuring Success: RIS/PACS Consultation & Training sponsored by an educational grant from GE Healthcare
  • 2. GE Healthcare With information at your fingertips, decisions are easy to reach. Connecting to information enables caregivers to decide on a plan of action quicker and more effectively. Which is why, from streamlining clinical workflow to expediting revenue cycles, GE Healthcare’s Centricity™ portfolio provides information-sharing solutions that allow caregivers to view patient data across multiple applications and locations. With critical information within every caregiver's grasp, better patient care is easier to reach. Healthcare IT Re-Imagined. www.gehealthcare.com/centricity © 2008 General Electric Company
  • 3. table of contents Revving Up Workflow Today’s radiology information system is the workhorse of radiology—gathering February 2008 and organizing radiology department workflow and Case Study › Cooper University Hospital reporting. Simply, it’s the “brains of the engine,” says Ray 02 Changing the Playing Field with Baraldi, MD, chief of radiology Integrated RIS/PACS at Cooper University Hospital in by Lisa Fratt Camden, N.J. Integrated RIS/PACS has been key to Baraldi and his radiology and IT team helping Case Study › Radiology and Imaging Specialists this 500-bed trauma center regain a competitive 05 RIS-driven Workflow Simplifies edge just across the water from Philadelphia. Complex Practice RIS-driven workflow has spurred 10 to 20 percent by Lisa Fratt productivity gains among radiologists. The story is similar at United Memorial Case Study › United Memorial Medical Center Medical Center, a Batavia, N.Y.-based community 08 RIS/PACS Propels the hospital that includes five imaging centers—and Radiology and Imaging Specialists of Lakeland, Community Hospital by Lisa Fratt Fla., whose 17 radiologists interpret 500,000 studies for more than 100 referring physicians annually. RIS allows administrators to trace 11 Speech: facility metrics, uncovering inefficiencies and The Next-Generation ‘Smart’ Report by Lisa Fratt re-evaluating staffing, scheduling and equipment strategies. Training is key, too, to maximizing a RIS investment, as you’ll see in “Ensuring Success: RIS/PACS Consultation & Training” on page 15. 12 RIS in the Outpatient Imaging A new generation of speech technology also Center: Increasing Efficiency, looks to push the process. Advanced Speech Maximizing Revenue Understanding is all the buzz. Its native HL7 CDA by Beth Walsh architecture intuitively incorporates clinical data into the reporting process, eliminating duplicative 15 Ensuring Success: processes, saving time and increasing accuracy. RIS/PACS Consultation & Training The result: The radiologist gets to dictate the by Leslie K. Anderson way he or she prefers, but the structured report produced speaks the same language as healthcare information systems. That speaks volumes—and will streamline workflow, too. Editorial Office: 235 Promenade St., Suite 455 Providence, RI 02908 A supplement to 401 383 5660 | Editor@HealthImaging.com Copyright ©2008 by TriMed Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Mary C. Tierney, Reproduction in any form is forbidden without permission. The information, opinions and statements expressed in the articles and Sponsored by an educational grant from Editorial Director advertisements herein are those of the writer and/or advertiser. mtierney@trimedmedia.com Health Imaging & IT and GE Healthcare make no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in the articles. GE’s sponsorship is not intended to convey endorsement of or affiliation with the authors. HealthImaging.com Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations
  • 4. case study: Cooper University Hospital | Camden, N.J. by Lisa Fr at t Changing the Playing Field with Integrated RIS/PACS Cooper University Hospital in Camden, N.J., is a 500-bed level I trauma center that operates Cooper University Hospital in a highly competitive market. The hospital sits in close proximity to Philadelphia, and the city dominates the local healthcare market. Consequently, Cooper University Hospital faces a tremendous challenge. It aims to retain university healthcare in the South Jersey region and prevent patients from migrating to Philadelphia for treatment. Cooper University Hospital houses six centers of excellence that include cardiology, trauma, critical care, neurosciences, orthopedic surgery and the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. One of the latest arrows in its competitive quiver is GE Healthcare Centricity RIS-IC. Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations February 2008
  • 5. T he combination of integrated RIS/PACS Mullen track bottlenecks at all levels of the imaging chain. Finally, and RIS-driven workflow has reshaped the projections provided by Centricity will provide Cooper the data to enterprise, enabling it to increase produc- make smart business decisions, answering questions about the num- tivity among all physicians and boost time- ber of technologists and equipment needed to support imaging cen- liness of patient care. The radiology depart- ters in new catchment areas. Equally important, Centricity can help ment is better serving its users, too. Report Mullen determine minimum profitable volumes for new endeavors. turnaround time has dropped, and images are universally available, streamlining con- Digital workflow delivers sultations and allowing physicians to make more informed treat- “Centricity has had a tremendously positive impact for all the physi- ment decisions. Here’s how the hospital achieved its results. cians throughout the hospital,” Baraldi says. “The ease and ability of The journey from manual to filmless (and beyond) The IT Angle Cooper University Hospital operates a high-volume radiology department. Each year, the department completes 200,000 studies RIS/PACS weds IT and and offers a full range of diagnostic imaging services on the main clinical systems, and the hospital campus and at three satellite imaging centers. Until a few success of an installation years ago, the radiology department relied on film and manual pro- hinges on both partners. cesses to serve its patients and physicians. “The most important “When I arrived in 2003, the radiology department was purely man- part of the deployment ual. It used ‘sneaker net,’ which was challenging on many levels,” recalls is integration within your Jerry Mullen, administrative director of radiology. The hospital real- IT department. RIS/PACS ized it needed to improve processes to remain competitive and provide is a clinical tool, but it’s quality patient care, so it began surveying the RIS/PACS landscape. truly an IT project; you The ideal workflow model was clear from day one, according to have to engage your IT Chief of Radiology Ray Baraldi, MD. RIS/PACS uses a single database, department,” says Jerry [ Chief of Radiology Ray Baraldi, MD, reads which streamlines integration of key functions. “The RIS is the brains images in the main reading room at Cooper; Mullen, administrative RIS/PACS has helped increase radiologist of the engine; PACS is really just an image display,” explains Baraldi. director of radiology productivity with radiologists reading 50 to 100 percent more studies per day. ] The hospital focused on locating a solution to manage end-to-end at Cooper University workflow from scheduling to billing, says CIO Karen Graham. PACS- Hospital in Camden, N.J. CIO Karen Graham was a key driven workflow, on the other hand, is radiologist-centric and can lead player in the hospital’s RIS/PACS project from day one, as the to broken steps—and delays—in the workflow process. project dovetailed with her focus on corporate, rather than “The advantage of having the single database includes the effec- departmental, IT structure. tive and closely aligned functionality between the RIS and PACS, The hospital initiated its RIS/PACS project by soliciting input and the integration with the HIS. Integrating from a single data- from the IT department, sharing its clinical and workflow base is important because the fewer databases that need to speak to goals with a clinical and IT-based team. The IT department, each other, the better,” adds Baraldi. in turn, evaluated the architecture of various systems RIS-driven workflow offers other advantages, too. For example, under consideration to ensure a good fit with the hospital’s a sophisticated QA program monitors the number of exceptions infrastructure. “Find a vendor that fit’s the hospital’s approach and lost studies. The QA program shows that Cooper University to IT implementation,” recommends Graham. Hospital has reduced these metrics to zero. The system also facili- Prior to deploying GE Healthcare Centricity RIS-IC, the tates proactive planning, says Mullen, who plans to use it to create hospital invested in appropriate IT infrastructure and digital a three- to five-year business plan to optimize PACS and grow the imaging systems such as CR and a gigabit network. It also hospital’s radiology business. placed RIS/PACS workstations in key areas throughout the Currently, the department is developing a dashboard to monitor enterprise—including ORs and on clinical floors. imaging utilization. “We can make sure that they’re trending in the The plan worked. Cooper University Hospital has right direction and optimize our schedules if we need to change leapfrogged over early adopters, says Mullen. Physicians have them,” Mullen says. “At one site where we have a no-show rate of embraced digital image management, CPOE and RIS/PACS- about 50 percent, we triple-book to make sure that the schedule embedded voice recognition to help the hospital become a reaches capacity. Without the report generated by Centricity, I filmless, paperless provider of swift, high-quality healthcare. wouldn’t know we need to overbook.” In addition, the feature helps HealthImaging.com Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations
  • 6. image and report review has increased efficiency and productivity Prior to RIS/PACS, the hospital relied on film for image acquisi- across the board for our physicians. Some report 10 to 20 percent tion and review and an antiquated courier system for distribution. increases in productivity.” The productivity increase is even more “It was difficult to discuss findings,” recalls Eric Hume, MD, vice dramatic in the radiology department, where radiologists read 50 to chair of orthopedic surgery. With Centricity, referring physicians 100 percent more studies per day, according to James Kovacs, MD, can review images simultaneously with radiologists and specialists. section head of abdominal and body imaging. Graham uses a differ- The system relays more detailed information more rapidly. Physi- ent stat to describe overall workflow. “Prior to Centricity RIS-IC, cians can point to or list the slice position number and measure and radiology workflow comprised more than 50 steps. Since Centricity, describe findings collaboratively. the hospital has reduced that number to fewer than 10.” Digital image management also slashed radiology turnaround Productivity gains derive from ease of use, integration with other time. The benefit to patients is two-fold, says Kovacs. Physicians can systems such as CPOE and elimination of manual, paper-based pro- view images expeditiously, a critical factor in the trauma center. “Our cesses. For example, in many cases radiologists and technologists com- ability to get patients back to where they need to be and to relay municate via Centricity instead of by telephone, which reduces wait results impacts patient care on a daily basis,” continues Kovacs. Plus, time and miscommunication. Features like a simple red flag, rather patients can access their studies, enabling smoother referrals. than a phone call, to alert radiologists to a STAT study also save time. The winning combination Improved patient care under the microscope GE Centricity RIS-IC and RIS-driven workflow is the perfect com- Importantly, the decision to deploy Centricity RIS-IC has improved bination at Cooper University Hospital. The academic hospital and patient care in a number of ways at Cooper University Hospital. The hos- trauma center has improved workflow, report turnaround time pital defines radiology as a service department. Its job is to image patients and patient care since embracing the new system. What’s more, it and provide results to other physicians, so they can determine the next enables data-driven decision-making and provides a solid founda- step in patient care. “That’s why we need RIS/PACS,” says Baraldi. tion for future growth. ■ Inside the Digital Department Orthopedics is traditionally a heavy consumer of imaging, and the orthopedic surgery department at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, N.J., fits inside the bell curve. It differs from some other sites, however, in its commitment to integrated RIS/PACS, RIS-driven workflow and state of the art, image-enabled surgical suites. Three operating rooms are outfitted with video capability, workstations and a display that can be pulled down into the surgical field. Video routers that can pull images from a variety of different locations and monitors are scattered around the rooms. The routers can pull images from a variety of different locations. RIS/PACS workstations provide access to order entry via the intranet and internet. Orthopedic surgeons can navigate through imaging datasets to project images on screens [ Integrated RIS/PACS has enabled image access during through out the room. Rooms also feature light cameras, jacks for surgery—a new business essential—says Cooper University different video signals and USB and video ports for new equipment. Hospital Vice Chair of Orthopedic Surgery Eric Hume, MD. ] Nine other ORs include PACS workstations. Although the current configuration provides image access in all ORs, the hospital plans to build several new operating rooms that further take advantage of RIS/PACS, laparoscopy and other video image generating technology. The key component is a video router system and a computer with access to the internet, says Eric Hume, MD, vice chair of orthopedic surgery. Centricity helps the department provide high-quality patient care outside the OR, too. In the film world, the image isn’t always in the right place, forcing the physician to make a decision without the data, order another image or wait for the data to arrive by courier. These issues no longer exist at Cooper. Images are always and universally available. And although orthopedic surgeons were a bit skeptical about the ability of the hospital’s standard monitors to display imaging data, their fears were unfounded. “It turns out any plain vanilla box [display] around the hospital works just fine to look at the AP lateral tibia fracture before and after the nail was put in to verify the alignment. And exploding a single CT or MRI panel on a 15- or 17-inch monitor shows detail not visible on three-by-four inch plain film panels,” says Hume. The upshot? RIS/PACS has become a business essential in the 21st century orthopedic surgery department. “It’s like email or the ATM; we couldn’t do without it,” states Hume. Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations February 2008
  • 7. Radiology Imaging Specialists | Lakeland, Fla. case study: by Lisa Fr at t [ Radiologist Scott Fargher, MD, reads PET images on a GE Healthcare Centricity RIS-IC workstation at one of Radiology and Imaging Specialists’ imaging centers in Lakeland, Fla. ] RIS-driven Workflow Simplifies a Complex Practice Radiology and Imaging Specialists in Lakeland, Fla., is a complex radiology practice. The group provides professional services for four hospitals in central Florida and operates five geographically diverse imaging centers. Its 17 radiologists interpret 500,000 studies for more than 100 referring physician offices annually. In addition, Radiology and Imaging Specialists leases its image management system to another practice. HealthImaging.com Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations
  • 8. T he practice’s complex configuration is pre-certifications. RIS/PACS automates theses key workflows; the profitable in the booming central Florida practice is confident that staff has efficiently gathered all informa- market, but it does present significant tion needed for both reimbursement and patient safety. In addi- challenges. COO and CIO David Marichal tion, items like patient allergies and contraindications are visible explains, “When I arrived in 2003, the across the system to prevent problems. practice had no RIS or PACS. There were RIS-driven workflow also helped the practice improve physician too many workflow inefficiencies for a workflow, allowing it to deliver everything radiologists need to standard standalone PACS.” accurately interpret the study in the minimum number of clicks. Marichal realized that web-based RIS architecture could address The patient record and images are available in a single location. many of the practice’s challenges by providing a consistent view of RIS/PACS also separates studies for referring physicians who com- the practice from any location. plete their own interpretations. Images are in a distinct worklist In 2004, Radiology and Imaging Specialists deployed GE Health- and don’t cross-contaminate radiology workflow. “Everyone is care Centricity RIS-IC, integrating the system with a third-party happy,” Marichal says. “The patient exam and report distribution PACS. The transition to RIS-driven workflow reinvented the prac- are timely, which satisfies patients and referring physicians. And we tice; it facilitates streamlined workflow for all users, which, in turn, know we will be paid. These aren’t mutually exclusive benefits.” trims expenses and improves service. From paper-driven to film-free via IT “The patient exam and report Technology is the ticket to the transition from inefficient, paper- heavy radiology to streamlined, digital workflow. Radiology and distribution are timely, which Imaging Specialists invested heavily in technical infrastructure to satisfies patients and referring support its RIS/PACS implementation. Its sophisticated network infrastructure is built around a fiber physicians. And we know optic network that connects all of the practice’s imaging centers. we will be paid. These aren’t Recently, the practice upgraded from a VPN mesh to a hub and spoke-straight VLAN configuration. The hefty network also sup- mutually exclusive benefits.” plies bandwidth needed to share workload among radiologists. David Marichal, COO CIO Because the web-based system provides consistent, universal access Radiology and Imaging Specialists across imaging centers and at radiologists’ homes, they can view and share daily worklists to support every site. The first step: workflow analysis Another critical component in the IT recipe is the workstation. Radiology and Imaging Specialists was mired in inefficient workflow “It’s important to provide a positive experience for end-users. This prior to installing Centricity RIS-IC; however, simply purchasing a requires workstations that meet RIS and PACS hardware require- system does not guarantee optimal results. The practice deployed RIS ments,” explains Marichal. Radiology and imaging Specialists and PACS concurrently and built its workflow around the synergy of opted for Windows-based PCs with 256 RAM. The practice also the two systems, designating Centricity RIS as the workflow engine. redesigned its reading rooms to accommodate workflow. The rationale behind RIS-driven rather than PACS-centric “The reading rooms are built around the electronic system, putting workflow is simple. RIS begins and ends the work process. Radiol- everything we need at our hands,” explains Christian Schmitt, MD, ogy workflow starts with scheduling and ends with billing; PACS informatics medical director. Reading room workstations have a four- can not handle those tasks. RIS puts information in the hands of monitor configuration so clinical information from the RIS is easily every decision-maker—from the radiologist to the scheduler and viewed and displayed in addition to the PACS viewing tools on the the technologist, says Director of Informatics Sal Tejeda. other three monitors. Workstations are configured with 4 GB of RAM Radiology and Imaging Specialists undertook a thorough workflow to accommodate any tools radiologists need to view data and images. analysis prior to deployment, examining every step of every process of A final piece of the puzzle is a robust data center that can pass all its business. One of the top complaints of employees? Paper and the data from one location to others. The 600-square-foot center requisite paper shuffling in a non-automated practice. includes an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), backup battery, Prior to the RIS/PACS deployment, scheduling and billing independent generator, climate control and fire suppression. The required multiple phone calls and considerable paperwork. Both result is near-perfect uptime. drained efficiency. In contrast, the ideal scheduling and insurance workflows are based on solid, efficient processes that allow a prac- Inside the RIS-driven practice tice to capture all necessary information for authorizations and RIS-driven radiology delivers a number of benefits: efficient, accu- Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations February 2008
  • 9. rate billing, improved patient care and streamlined workflow. Prior oughly evaluated and tested workflows to maximize efficiencies to RIS/PACS, Radiology and Imaging Specialists relied on paper with Centricity RIS-IC and offered a strong training program. The billing. The practice was not sure it captured all charges because practice wrapped introductory training into a six-week simulation the process hinged on paper. before going live with the system. The training included a post go- Centricity RIS-IC, on the other hand, features an electronic live debriefing at the end of the first week, and the practice holds charge interface. Coders vet items before they go to the billing staff refresher training at least once a year or after product interface to simplify and accelerate the process. upgrades/updates. Scheduling is equally efficient. With universal access to all sites and The center aims tap into RIS/PACS to raise the bar again. For exam- imaging resources, schedulers can place patients in the first available ple, Radiology Imaging and Specialists intends to reward schedulers slot. “That’s important because referring physicians want the first who meet established benchmarks, which requires metrics and a solid available appointment, or they’ll take their business somewhere else,” RIS reporting system, says Marichal. Centricity fits the bill. notes Marichal. The integrated, brokerless system also drives an intense resource utilization program at Radiology Imaging and Specialists, in Reinventing the practice which the practice analyzes how much of the time slot it uses for each Centricity RIS-IC has provided Radiology and Imaging Specialists type of exam to optimize imaging resources. a means to reinvent its practice, improving workflow and patient “Centricity RIS-IC helps track productivity from schedulers to care across the board. The imaging center group is completing technologists,” notes Darla Mosley, applications manager. “We’ve more studies and turning them around in a shorter time frame been able to determine how long a patient is in the office, how long with fewer staff. In other words, the practice has found the recipe the exam takes, and then we can adjust our times accordingly, for success in 21st century imaging center business. ■ which helps with the schedule. We can accommodate more patients than we did before.” In addition, if the practice is backlogged in one area, it can shorten exam time a bit. Finally, the system helped justify the RIS/PACS VIDEO investment. Prior to RIS/PACS, Radiology Imaging and Specialists staffed each center with six radiologists. Post-deployment center staffing dropped to four radiologists. Ancillary staff has been reduced approximately 10 percent through attrition. WITH QA Optimized patient care Automating processes to improve productivity and the bottom line is essential in today’s tight economic environment; however, the first priority in healthcare is patient care. Centricity RIS-IC helps Radiology Imaging and Specialists meet it dual objectives by speed- Featuring interviews and QA with ing turnaround time and improving access to images. clinical and IT thoughtleaders from: Consider for example oncology patients. Many travel to different United Memorial Medical Center Radiology Imaging and Specialists sites for imaging studies. Cen- Batavia, N.Y. tricity RIS-IC collects images from various sites, making them Radiology Imaging Specialists available in a single application for review at cancer conferences. Lakeland, Fla. “We can make decisions about the patient’s therapy based on ade- Cooper University Hospital Camden, N.J. quate and thorough information rather than one piece of informa- tion or one study,” says Schmitt. VIEW An ongoing process ARCHIVE RIS/PACS is not a project that begins and ends on certain dates. It is an ongoing process that begins before deployment and, in an ideal situation, continues after installation as the practice taps into the system to derive new benefits. Radiology Imaging and Specialists initiated its deployment with an implementation team with broad membership including radi- ologists, technologists, schedulers and IT staff. The team thor- HealthImaging.com Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations
  • 10. case study: United Memorial Medical Center | Batavia, N.Y. by Lisa Fr at t [ Carol Vanderberg, specialist assistant in radiology, at United Memorial Medical Center reviews CR-based digital mammograms on the GE Healthcare Centricity RIS-IC that links the healthcare organization’s five campuses. ] RIS/PACS Propels the Community Hospital In some respects, United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC) of Batavia, N.Y., is a typical community hospital. It is composed of five campuses including a 111-bed hospital and four imaging centers. The group completes 50,000 imaging studies annually. Imaging modalities include multidetector CT, CR- based digital mammography, ultrasound, MRI, CR and digital fluoroscopy. Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations February 2008
  • 11. A s the only hospital in the county, UMMC analysis. “Our goal was to use technology to streamline activities,” is somewhat challenged. For starters, it Ireland says. By strategically locating status boards within the employs a single radiologist (supported by department and placing barcode scanners in radiology rooms, a specialist assistant in radiology), which UMMC has slashed its paper consumption, replacing paper with can make it difficult to manage imaging electronic data flow. The workflow analysis helped the hospital volume, provide acceptable report turn- track pressure points to help it determine where to place PACS around time and review the breadth of workstations. Wall-mounted units and mobile carts complement modality procedures, especially subspe- fixed workstations to provide physicians access to images and lab cialty and ER reads. Four external radiologists based in Buffalo, N.Y., results anywhere in the hospital, including at the patient bedside. help manage the center’s daily workload, so robust digital image Centricity RIS-IC enables electronic billing, another critical work- management processes are critical. Secondly, the metropolitan areas of Rochester and Buffalo are within an hour’s drive; it’s important to maintain high-quality local care to keep patients local. Advice from the Field The organization’s decisions to deploy GE Centricity RIS-IC Implementing RIS/PACS is a major undertaking in 2001 and to pioneer PACS with integrated RIS and voice particularly for smaller, community hospitals. recognition in 2006 play a vital role in UMMC’s ability to United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC) provide optimal, local patient care. What’s more, workflow in Batavia, N.Y., has optimized RIS/PACS to and report turnaround time are significantly improved improve service at all levels, slash paper and with integrated RIS/PACS and RIS-driven workflow. film use and grow its business. Its RIS/PACS team offers some advice for colleagues RIS rules looking to purchase a system. Centricity RIS-IC is the workhorse behind the smoothly functioning radiology department at UMMC. The rationale ✓ Cost is a key focus, says Medical Imaging [ Mary Niland, RIS/PACS Supervisor Lisa Foss, but it should be tempered. behind the staggered, RIS-first deployment is quite simple. administrator, UMMC ] The RIS provides a means to capture accurate information and “Everyone has to use the system. If it’s difficult to use and navigate, price becomes much less relevant.” populate the PACS, says Lisa Foss, medical imaging supervisor. An interface with the HIS also facilitates patient processing and sched- ✓ Train, train, train. UMMC RIS/PACS Administrator Mary uling. “RIS-driven workflow helps bring the patient through the Niland established training centers to educate staff and department a lot smoother. Data like patient registration flows clinicians from various departments. She also visited referring physicians’ offices to set up the system on their from the HIS to the RIS, leading to fewer data entry errors and less computers and complete one-on-one education. The efforts manual work for technologists,” says RIS/PACS Administrator helped persuade reluctant physicians to give up film. Mary Niland. Physicians, both referring doctors and radiologists, benefit, too. ✓ Tap into internal and external resources. Colleagues The RIS centralizes all radiology reports and imaging files, provid- can provide a wealth of information on peripherals like CD burners and modality integration. On the internal ing streamlined access to reports and images for referring physi- side, carefully track workflow of all film users to cians. It also provides a line of communication between radiolo- understand areas that can be improved by gists and technologists, which boosts workflow. For example, the digital workflow. radiologist can view images immediately after acquisition. If a study requires additional views or a retake, the radiologist can relay ✓ Look at compatibility between the HIS, RIS and PACS. The RIS and HIS that information to the technologist—without leaving his chair or must communicate effectively on a daily breaking workflow. basis. A single vendor RIS/PACS reduces Both parties in the image reporting equation—referring clini- integration challenges and streamlines cian and radiologist—also gain from embedded voice recognition. the end-user experience. Think single Prior to Centricity, UMMC used a third-party system that required password, single log-in. an additional server, interface and HL7 message. The Centricity [ Darren Kazmierczak, ✓ Plan for site visits to see systems in action. director of radiology, UMMC ] system streamlines management, says Niland, and allows the radi- Try to visit a facility of similar size and needs ologist to manage reports from a single home page, which, in turn, as your own. It can be very helpful to arrange to visit sites helps cut turnaround time. that use the same RIS and HIS as yours as well, says Darren Dan Ireland, vice president of clinical support services, credits Kazmierczak, director of radiology. the center’s workflow success story to a complete pre-RIS workflow HealthImaging.com Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations
  • 12. flow booster. Prior to Centricity, UMMS used a courier service to review. Any discrepancies between the initial ER read and the radiol- ship hundreds of billing reports to its billing company every day. ogist’s review required paper forms and phone calls. Now, images are Now, reports are generated automatically within Centricity and sent shared electronically between the departments. If a radiologist finds electronically to the billing company, saving the time and dollars a discrepancy, Centricity generates a note to inform the ER. associated with the paper approach. In addition, bills can be gener- ated more rapidly, which translates into accelerated collections. Centricity RIS-IC provides other significant advantages, too. The RIS incorporates data-mining capabilities, helping the medical “Patients who come to center optimize resources. For example, when evening technolo- the hospital for STAT work gists complained about their workload and clamored for another FTE, Foss ran a technologist productivity report for seven days. She can wait in the waiting found that volume was significantly higher during the 3 to 7 p.m. room because reports are period. Instead of hiring an additional tech or authorizing over- completed so quickly. ” time, Foss juggled the schedule to provide triple coverage during the department’s busiest hours, saving the hospital critical dollars Lisa Foss, medical imaging supervisor, UMMC and keeping hard-to-replace employees satisfied. The workflow and data-mining benefits of Centricity RIS-IC and PACS are ongoing, says Director of Radiology Darren Kazmierczak. “Our ER physicians are much more satisfied,” sums Ireland. “We’re constantly reevaluating our workflow to see what we can “They can review images right in the ER, and they can share them change efficiently, and it’s all based on having RIS/PACS.” with patients.” Centricity streamlines consults, making it easy for physicians to transmit images to Buffalo hospitals for sub-specialty Customer satisfaction review as needed. Customer service can be a tall order, particularly in tight depart- The digital system also helps the hospital maintain a competitive ments with a single radiologist. Centricity helps UMMC maximize edge with referring physicians, specifically by helping the hospital its single radiologist and provide outstanding service to internal minimize report turnaround. Some primary-care physicians and external customers. admitted to referring patients out of town in the center’s pre-RIS/ PACS days because it was difficult for the single radiologist to make a timely diagnosis, says Ireland. Since Centricity, however, some “Our ER physicians are much have returned to UMMC because the radiologist can return results more satisfied [since we with an hour of the study. In fact, in the last year UMMC improved added RIS/PACS]. They can on its 5 percent annual growth rate, achieving a phenomenal 19 percent growth. Ireland credits the growth to Centricity. “With review images right in the RIS/PACS, we’re able to provide the level of service expected by our ER, and they can share them primary-care physicians and patients.” One patient group particularly satisfied with digital image man- with patients.” agement model is STAT patients. “Patients who come to the hospi- Dan Ireland, vice president of clinical support tal for STAT work can wait in the waiting room because reports are services, UMMC completed so quickly. The radiologist can call the referring physi- cian with results to find out if the patient should go to the office, ER Take for example the emergency department. ER physicians have or home. Patients aren’t driving home to find out they should specific, critical needs—specifically rapid, accurate review. The hos- return to the hospital,” explains Foss. pital runs weekly ER reports to monitor turnaround time. “When we first implemented Centricity RIS-IC, we measured turnaround time A perfect fit in hours. Now we measure it in minutes. We turnaround 68 percent Centricity RIS-IC is a perfect fit for UMMC. The community of ER reports within 15 minutes,” Niland says. That rapid turn- medical center has achieved key goals since deploying the inte- around helps physicians provide timely, informed patient care. grated system. Customer service is improved via rapid report Another bugaboo in the conventional ER is discrepancy tracking. turnaround; business is booming and physicians, technologists, Prior to RIS/PACS, UMMC relied on a manual process with the radi- and patients are satisfied. The system provides access to data, ology department staff walking to the ER every morning to chase helping the center continue to improve services. Paper is gone, films and bring them back to the department for the radiologist to and film consumption is negligible. ■ 10 Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations February 2008
  • 13. by Lisa Fr at t The Next-Generation ‘Smart’ Report Standard voice recognition technology is far from cutting edge. In fact, voice ability to exchange data with other health- recognition has existed in various forms since the 1960s; however, after 40 years care information systems. Radiologists, on the market, healthcare has not tuned in to speech. In fact, fewer than half of however, tend to shun structured reporting because it can be more time-consuming all hospital specialties embrace voice recognition technology. than free-form documentation. HL7 CDA The mediocre adoption rate is some- workflow to make it available to the radi- provides a means to dictate in the way radi- what paradoxical particularly in radiolo- ologist for the report. ologists prefer and produce a structured gy as the report is the final product of the The enabling technology for the next- report that speaks the same language as radiologist’s work and necessary for pay- generation solution is a structured docu- other healthcare information systems. ment and clinical decision-making. One mentation process based on HL7 Clinical reason behind the less-than-enthusiastic Data Architecture (CDA). The native HL7 Speech: The last word acceptance of speech recognition is most CDA architecture combines and re-uses Speech is one of the next frontiers in radiol- systems are add-ons to radiology work- data, allowing radiologists to spend less ogy workflow. Effective speech recognition flow rather than an integrated part of the time working on reports while simultane- can help address the tough challenges in the workflow process. ously producing a higher value document. radiology world by boosting productivity GE Healthcare aims to re-draw the speech Advanced Speech Understanding bridg- and improving the final radiology product. market by injecting new utility into voice es both flavors of traditional speech tech- Advanced Speech Understanding represents recognition. The company is collaborating nology—free-form documentation and the evolution of speech recognition technol- with M*Modal to develop a next-generation structured reporting. Structured reporting ogy. It will boost adoption and improve natural language processing system. offers certain advantages, particularly the radiology workflow and products. ■ The evolutionary solution—Advanced Speech Understanding—weds sophisticat- [ Advanced Speech Understanding is the next generation in speech—which automatically incorporates clinical data into ed technology and workflows. The speech the reporting process. GE Healthcare is imbedding Centricity RIS-IC into its Speech Understanding from M*Modal. ] engine is embedded in Centricity RIS to make reporting part of the natural work- flow. Advanced Speech Understanding meets the dual challenges facing speech. It makes speech an integral part of the radi- ology workflow and capitalizes on the rich patient data available at every step of the radiology process. Advanced Speech Understanding deliv- ers added value by incorporating clinical data into the reporting process to eliminate duplicative processes. For example, during the scheduling process the scheduler cap- tures data like signs and symptoms. Such data can be found at every step of the imag- ing chain and is critical to the final radiol- ogy report. Advanced Speech Understand- ing pulls the data through the imaging HealthImaging.com Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations 11
  • 14. by Beth Walsh RIS in the Outpatient Imaging Center Increasing Efficiency, Maximizing Revenue With the economic challenges of the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA), marketplace competition and the quest to streamline processes facing outpatient imaging centers, anything that can help increase efficiency is more than welcome. A good RIS helps centers track patients, physicians and revenue—while staying on schedule and on budget. The right tools can even help organizations determine when and where to expand their services. 12 Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations February 2008
  • 15. e set out to produce a RIS that Once the appointment can be confirmed with the office, the increased the efficiencies and max- referring practice caller can get off the phone, which is appreciated. imized revenue within the facility,” “Once the exam is scheduled, we collect authorization information says Rhonda Eckstein, director, as needed,” Weathersbee says. The generic exams are created in the Product Management, Dynamic RIS as a non-billable/non-reportable exam. “That keeps them from Imaging Solutions, GE Healthcare going through the system by accident,” he explains. “They can’t Integrated IT Solutions. reach the finalized signed state as a generic exam. The tech has to go One way the RIS increases effi- in and do an Enter/Edit of the exam to make it a specific code that ciencies is with key event monitoring. “That ensures that each step of makes the exam billable and reportable.” the process is completed before the patient can move on to the next This process is a good example of Jefferson Radiology’s ability to step,” she says. For example, before a patient is considered registered, the configure the RIS in a unique way that solved a business problem system makes sure that all required information has been collected. and let the practice improve its customer service, Weathersbee says. It also helped improve the practice’s revenue cycle. The protocoling Relying on RIS worklists within the RIS allow proofing against the authorization “We rely on the RIS very heavily,” says Mark Weathersbee, CIO at codes. “Through reports we can create in the RIS, we can make sure Jefferson Radiology, a user of GE’s Centricity RIS-IC. we have the proper authorizations and we’re not performing exams Jefferson uses Centricity RIS-IC for scheduling, creating call- for which we’re not going to get paid.” back lists, arrival tracking, exam memos, communication between Jefferson recently acquired a practice with two locations, for a cur- technologists and radiologists, and to help the group go to a paper- rent total of eight locations. Within the next few months, the two less reading room. [ Jefferson Radiology in West Hartford, Conn., manages radiology workflow The paperless reading room was a new initiative last fall that for its eight locations—from scheduling through reporting and billing—via GE Weathersbee says was primarily physician-driven. “They decided Healthcare’s Centricity RIS-IC. ] on their own that they didn’t want to deal with so much paperwork,” he says. The biggest obstacle to a paperless reading room was the doctors having to manually input patient numbers rather than use the bar-coded documents. Once the doctors adjusted to the new process, it “really made the workflow go a lot easier and quicker.” Electronic reports have been beneficial for referring physician practices, says Weathersbee. About 60 percent of access to the online reports and images is by the practices’ nurses, staff and support per- sonnel. The ability to facilitate that access has improved Jefferson’s position in the marketplace, he says. To get the most out of its RIS, Jefferson customized it in many ways, Weathersbee says. One way was schedul- ing. “Schedulers need to have a lot of clinical data,” he says. For example, does a particular CT exam need con- trast? Frequently the schedulers would arrange one study and then, at the time of the appointment, clini- cians would make changes. “Based on information in the medical record, the protocol was different,” Weath- ersbee says. “It was a constant burden for schedulers. The radiologists and technologists were always asking why the schedulers couldn’t schedule the right exam.” To combat the problem, the practice decided to go with simple, generic scheduling that involves an exam list for each organization, the modality code and the body part code. The list is driven off of the CPT list, but it’s generalized and allows schedulers to get the key components of what the physician office wants to know—location, date and time for the exam. HealthImaging.com Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations 13
  • 16. new sites will be consolidated to one and a new facility will open in a reports we need to make sure we’re filling our schedule efficiently so different area. The RIS helped the practice evaluate the overall vol- that our patients have the best possible access to our imaging ser- umes for the modalities being implemented at those two additional vices.” Weekly, he can see how the organization is tracking toward locations, Weathersbee says. “Data captured in the RIS was definitely volume and collection goals. Monthly, reports are produced to track a decision point in deciding what to do with those two offices.” progress toward annual goals. “A systematic approach to reviewing our performance data is very important to us,” he says. “It’s some- [ Liberty Pacific Medical Imaging chose Centricity RIS/PACS-IW (formerly Dynamic Imaging’s IntegradWeb RIS/PACS) when developing new imaging centers in Castro thing we really like about our RIS.” Another plus is that “it doesn’t Valley, Calif., and Columbus, Ohio. Centricity RIS/PACS-IW includes a contract take a lot of manpower to produce that data.” management module that incorporates complex logic to estimate net revenue based upon payor use of DRA, HOPPS or both DRA and HOPPS fee schedules. The Those reporting abilities provide a “snapshot view of all key indi- highlighted areas are calculated for each visit and enable centers to accurately cators,” says Eckstein. That includes volumes and revenues, out- project the impact of DRA on their patient/payor mix versus budget. ] standing accounts receivable and unbilled accounts. Users also can monitor staff, physician referral patterns, unbilled accounts, and, most importantly, medical reports—the final product. “A timely interpretation is what the referring physicians are looking for,” she says. “We have management reports that allow facilities to track closely where those medical reports are.” One element of the RIS is DRA Logic. For multiple, same- day procedures, some insurance companies reduce the tech- nical component by 25 percent. “We built that logic in,” says Eckstein. Users only need to load their payer contract and the system will automatically calculate the 75 percent reim- bursement of the technical component and display expected net revenue. Without that, users wouldn’t automatically take such discounts into account and “have no way of know- New RIS for new locations ing if they’re getting the correct payment.” Liberty Pacific Medical Imaging To choose the best RIS for your organization, Draye says he chose Centricity RIS/PACS-IW would “encourage someone to try and match their workflow (formerly Dynamic Imaging’s IntegradWeb RIS/PACS) when with the RIS products they’re evaluating. They should imagine them- developing new imaging centers in Castro Valley, Calif., and selves using that RIS and think about its features and the most Columbus, Ohio, in the beginning of 2007, says CIO Anthony important aspects of their workflow and make sure the two are in Draye. When developing new centers, the organization had to synch.” Because a RIS is not “one size fits all,” he says, “it requires lots decide whether to continue with an under-performing, legacy RIS of effort to properly integrate a system into an organization’s work- or employ a new RIS, according to Draye. They decided to look for flow. Choosing the right RIS is key to successfully achieving that.” a new RIS. “Dynamic Imaging [which was acquired by GE late in 2007] had what we were looking for and having one vendor for both Coming soon… RIS and PACS in the outpatient world adds efficiency.” GE has plenty of new features on the horizon for Centricity users. Liberty Pacific appreciates that the Centricity product is a “very The company recently released its CPT level billing logic, Eckstein modern and well-engineered software product.” Choosing RIS says. “Our collectors desktop work queues are in development, as software that has a forward-thinking technology roadmap behind well as authorization alerts for those payors that require authoriza- it gives imaging centers peace of mind that their systems will evolve tion before a study is performed.” The collectors desktop tool with them. Using a product that is up-to-date with modern soft- involves user-specific worklists that will automatically display a ware standards ensures that it is “future proof.” user’s accounts to be worked for follow-up based on system rules. The billing capabilities of the RIS also appealed to Liberty Pacif- Aside from these kinds of tools, Eckstein says GE has kept the focus on ic, Draye says. “In the current environment, billing is very impor- a user-friendly system. “We tried to remain consistent on all screens. tant.” Plus, “we didn’t have to buy third-party software to do docu- Specific data fields always link the user to a specific place. We kept that ment management or other specific functions. It’s all in this one consistency from screen to screen. That has made it very user-friendly.” product. It’s a complete RIS.” With all of these considerations, Eckstein says the product “truly is an Liberty Pacific probably gets the most bang for its RIS buck entire solution—with a single desktop, scheduling through, zero bal- through the daily, weekly and monthly performance analysis con- ance, billing and collection system—that hopefully increases efficiencies ducted through the system, Draye says. “The RIS produces the daily and facilitates maximum reimbursement. That’s what it’s all about.” ■ 14 Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations February 2008
  • 17. Blount Memorial Hospital | Maryville, Tenn. case study: by Leslie K. Anderson [ PACS administrators at Blount Memorial deployed super-users such as this one as RIS/PACS training resources for the entire facility. ] Ensuring Success RIS/PACS Consultation Training What happens between a facility and a technology vendor after they ink a contract the 305-bed community hospital in can make the difference between success and failure in a RIS/PACS implementation. Maryville, Tenn. Phil Berler provided management Having just experienced the smooth “go-live” of their new integrated Centricity RIS/ consultation services from GE from PACS from GE Healthcare, Blount Memorial Hospital radiology staff members know kick-off through post go-live. “Phil firsthand the value of solid consulting and training services. knows the radiology business,” says D. Charles Price, RN, Blount’s clinical Kick-off to go-live analyst, project manager, information systems. “He managed a With the flip of a switch on Sept. 10, 2007, Blount went live with radiology department for 17 years in New York City. He knows the GE Centricity RIS-IC 10.5 and Centricity PACS 3.0.1 to manage systems from the technologist and management standpoint. For the 120,000-plus imaging procedures the main hospital performs me, I was a staff nurse before I took the technology job and he annually. As part of the contract with GE, Blount received an helped me to understand the process from a general standpoint. He array of consulting and training services to help them maximize was always ready with an answer.” benefits from the new system from the clinical, IT, management Berler, one of the seven-member team, spent several days onsite and operations perspectives. It was evident that day that the RIS/ evaluating the workflow at Blount. “The first few times he watched PACS consultation and training services from GE had paid off for flow in the department—beginning with admitting and scheduling, HealthImaging.com Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations 15
  • 18. Workflow analysis is a key component to any successful Go-Live: Dartmouth-Hitchcock John Sundnas, RIS/PACS administrator for Dartmouth- through obtaining images and archiving—he sat with various Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., has 25 years of employees or stood in different areas of the department to watch how experience implementing and supporting pathology and we did business,” says Price. “He was onsite at least five times, plus radiology clinical information systems, including successful sent emails and conducted conference calls.” From there, Berler go-lives for GE Healthcare’s RIS and PACS. drafted a future workflow report based on the current workflow. A key component to a successful go-live, says Sundnas, is analyzing facility and patient workflow. Part of that Under the looking glass involves including the entire facility in the workflow analysis As an example, one of the problems Berler discovered was overbooking and documentation process. and insufficient use of scheduling personnel. “Before we had only one According to Sundnas, Dartmouth-Hitchcock performed person per modality doing scheduling at the front desk; now we have a workflow analysis to determine how film flowed among three who can schedule [appointments] for all of the modalities,” says the center’s 400 healthcare providers and to find the best John T. Cadieux, BS, RT (R), technical coordinator, radiology. The way to provide access to digital images. Sundnas says scheduling change has allowed for more efficient use of the imaging that by using a recommended implementation plan from equipment with less idle time for each system. “Phil helped us do away GE, they were able to create a workflow plan that they with scheduling books and streamline patient throughput.” were able to alter and adjust as needed throughout the Throughout the planning and testing process, Berler made sub- entire process. sequent visits to see how Blount staff was doing with the changes in ✓ Analyze Document Facility Workflow workflow and suggested adjustments as necessary. For a period, Spend time up-front to conduct a workflow analysis both the old system and new system ran concurrently, followed by of all staff and their activities including schedulers, a simulation where the new system was put through a dry run. technologists, residents, fellows and staff radiologists. “During the planning phase, the team planned for a certain piece of Pay close attention to the image library to determine how the implementation to go a certain way. But during the simulation, film flows to viewing workstations. Ask yourself: “where we found out that process would not work in real-time. We had to were images being used, and how do we provide look at the process again and make changes,” says Cadieux. filmless viewing at those stations?” ✓ Analyze Document Patient Imaging Workflow Training musts Look at patient workflow in relation to imaging. Ask Training was another key to RIS/PACS success. “GE had a ‘train the yourself: “If patients come in with their own films, are trainer’ mentality,” he says. A master training program provided they leaving the office with their films?” If a film leaves the special emphasis on creating super-users, who became the go-to office, how does film get back into the department to be people onsite. Master-user training was very thorough, Cadieux interpreted by the radiologist? says, including onsite training, online training using WebEx, and ✓ Involve Everyone to be Fully Vested in the System training for both systems at GE training facilities. Sundnas says that by including multiple departments Cadieux says he and PACS Administrator Mike Headrick, RT, and staff members in the workflow analysis prior spoke with supervisors to decide who the super-users would be, ask- to go-live helps to vest everyone more fully in the ing questions like: “Who can we trust to handle this responsibility? implementation. Get them involved by providing a weekly Who is going to take on this responsibility and handle it well?” forum for them to express their concerns, give insight Once chosen, super-users were trained on what was relevant to into their day-to-day activities to accept changes that their jobs, Cadieux says. “We set up an intro class to the system, are coming and make the transition successful. Sundnas began two- to three-hour training sessions a week later for three says they continue to hold weekly meetings within the technologists and three schedulers at a time, and then did another department to share information and bring up concerns training session one month before go-live.” Cadieux says that GE about the system and how it is working. assisted with the initial super-user training session to ensure things went smoothly. “After that, we and the super-users began training the rest of the facility,” he says. Answering the call to action “We hoped that the training would provide the super-users with a In January, the RIS/PACS and training was put to a big test. Blount base of knowledge of what the system administrators do so that we experienced a “code blue” as the result of an ice storm in the area would not be bombarded post go-live,” says Cadieux. “If there are only causing the emergency room to overflow. “If we hadn’t trained and two people who know how to fix the problem, then you are going to be implemented the way we did, we would not have been able to handle swamped. Having a super-user to handle the small things—such as the catastrophe,” says Cadieux. “We were able to get a lot of patients patient exam merges—keeps workflow moving on my end.” through quickly. The GE RIS/PACS made it so smooth.” ■ 16 Rethinking RIS: Strategies to Streamline Operations February 2008
  • 19. GE Healthcare Do your images show you the full picture? Improving patient care is about more than viewing images and capturing a vast set of data. It’s about insight—seeing the nature of complex situations and applying the right course of action. From accelerating clinical workflows to innovating enterprise-wide image analysis, Centricity® Imaging helps organizations of all sizes transform information into insight. That means access to patient data where and when it’s needed. And now with Dynamic Imaging’s top-rated IntegradWeb® Web-based technology, you’ll see our vision of Web-based imaging portability like never before. Bringing you the big picture. Healthcare IT Re-imagined. 010101101001010 1001 010 00 01 01 11 10 0 0 11 10 10 01 10 10 10 10 11 0 10 0 11 0 01 10 0 10 0 10 1 0 0 1 01 1 0 0 01 0 01 1 11 10 10 0 0 10 11 0 01 10 01 0 1011 01011 101 01 01010 10 100 01 1101010 1 1001 1 101101010 110101010101101010101010 101101 10 01 1 01 1 10 10 10 10 10 110 0 110 101 01 1010 1 101 101101 010 1011 © 2008 General Electric Company. All rights reserved. GE, the GE monogram and Centricity are registered trademarks of General Electric Company.