May 20, 2010 - A new radiology information management system (RIS) is designed to support radiation dose tracking and user alerts.
CARESTREAM RIS also provides critical results notification to ensure confirmation of results delivery and appropriate follow-up by referring physicians. This RIS also offers data collection and reporting capabilities designed to equip managers to maximize revenue opportunities, while delivering gains in productivity for schedulers, radiologists and managers.
Technologists enter the dose of each exam, and the RIS issues an alert to the technologist if the dose is out of range. The RIS go further by collecting and reporting exposures for all exams. This system can be used to track radiologic imaging exams and radiation therapy treatment. Dose management is an option included with the platform that can be activated, but is not required.
For critically ill patients, the RIS tracks critical results notification and issues warnings for aging messages to help ensure patients receive prompt treatment.
As for workflow, the RIS aims to boosts efficiency by expediting scheduling of single, dual and series imaging exams across multiple locations. It is used to confirm eligibility and evaluate that procedure codes are consistent and accurate.
Radiologists productivity may improve using interactive voice dictation, voice command and control and mouse-less reporting. The RIS selects a standardized report based on the exam procedure, and patient and exam information is prepopulated. This eliminates the need for radiologists to search for the appropriate report format and manually insert information.
The RIS is designed for user customization across a variety of features, including: screen displays, patient communication materials, scheduling rules that can vary by site, management reports and other important functions. This allows the system to present to the user the information that they need, when they need to see it.
Mammography tools capture patient history, current exam findings, pathology reports, patient follow-up and tracking and help automate radiology reports. Letters to patients and referring physicians can be quickly customized, generated and tracked. Available reports include: MQSA basic audit data, initial diagnosis statistics, patient follow-up and patient status.
Management tools help administrators boost efficiency by displaying staff and resource utilization, as well as contributing factors such as cancelled exams and patient no-show lists. If managers determine that process and workflow changes are needed, they can redesign screen displays to support these adjustments. The RIS also supports integration of in-house or outsourced billing systems.
CARESTREAM RIS is Microsoft .NET-connected to offer unmatched flexibility and scalability, while supporting an optimized radiology workflow across small, single-site or large, multi-site enterprises.
For more information: www.carestreamhealth.com