The IT team at Western Reserve Hospital, a 105-bed, physician-owned institution in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, already had considerable experience with remotely hosted solutions. In 2015, the time came to consider a remote option for its new PACS.
The security of patient data continues to be one of the biggest topics affecting healthcare providers today. How can these cyberattacks be stopped once they’ve been discovered? How can they be avoided altogether?
While helping to steer 105-bed Western Reserve Hospital in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, toward a remotely hosted PACS solution, Jeffrey Unger, MD, repeatedly voiced one crucial concern: Would he and his fellow radiologists have to wait at their workstations, precious seconds ticking away, while PACS servers sitting hundreds of miles away processed massive datasets?
Radiologists operate in a fast-paced work environment, juggling a combination of tasks that includes interpreting studies, and calls from referring physicians.
In 2011, officials at Alberta Health Services made a startling discovery. A number of CT studies in a rural community had been misinterpreted, raising questions about patient care.
When radiologists use a new platform or workstation for the first time, there is often an adjustment period. The radiologist has to take it on a “test drive” of sorts, seeing how certain functions are carried out and learn how to get the most out of the technology.
Digital breast tomosynthesis is no longer just a buzzworthy technology among imaging experts; patients have gotten word and are now increasingly demanding access from their local providers.
The pressures on providers in an era of evolving payment models and ever-evolving technology could not be more demanding. In order to be successful, providers will need strong solutions from their technology partners.
Things are a bit complicated in healthcare, to say the least. Whether it's additional regulations, a competitive market or changing patient demographics, care delivery is becoming more complex every year.
