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RADIOLOGY WORKFLOW:RECOGNIZING CLINICAL & FINANCIAL BENEFITS OF IMPLEMENTING A FULL RIS-PACS-REPORTING SOLUTION

Leah J. Denton, RT(R) Director, Diagnostic

Imaging Rutland Regional Medical Center

Rutland, Vermont

Mary C. TierneyVP, Chief Content Officer,

TriMed Media GroupProvidence, RI, USA

J.C. Biebuyck, MDMedical Director, CT Services

Rutland Regional Medical CenterRutland, Vermont

Presenter Presenter Moderator

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• 75,000 patients treated per year

• 110 beds

• 80,000 exams per year

• CT, MR, X-ray, PET/CT, ultrasound, mammography, bone densitometry, interventional radiology

• 80 employees in the Diagnostic Imaging Services Department

RUTLAND REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER

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TERTIARY SERVICES ARE LOCATED WITHIN 60-70 MILE RANGE

• Small hospital with comprehensive services, including surgical and medical practices

• Specialty surgery includes: ENT, Plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery and OB/GYN

• Medical subspecialty care in cardiovascular imaging, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, intensivists, hospitalists, rheumatology, oncology & neurology

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TIGHTLY CONNECTED RIS-PACS-REPORTING

• Utilizing GE Centricity RIS-IC and Precision Reporting

• Staff to monitor information from patient arrival through report delivery

• Enables matching of the right patient, right data, right images and right dictation

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EFFICIENT ACCESS FOR PHYSICIANS FROM DISPARATE SYSTEMS• Clinical information moves from technologist to

radiologist instantly, providing precision reporting to their reading station   

• The system allows for efficient physician access to images and information

• Efficient process has enhanced patient care

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CENTRICITY AT DEPARTMENT LEVEL PROVIDES RADIOLOGIST WITH QUICK TURN AROUND WITH MINIMAL STEPS• The system allows for a unified vision of

success and quality and patient safety• More efficient communication with radiology

and staff with fewer steps & interruptions – less duplication

• Referring physicians are very satisfied with depth and breadth of information and timely reports

• Single-vendor RIS-PACS-reporting provides shorter report turn-around times, gains in efficiency

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SINGLE VENDOR SYSTEM ALLOWS FOR OUT-OF-THE-BOX THINKING FOR DEVELOPING PROCESSES FOR WORKFLOW• Our practice attracts radiologists to participate• Easy peer review & quality assurance generate

reports• “People want to work here after they see the system

we have”• Workflow efficiencies, results provided real time

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WORK LIST IS PRIORITIZED – PROVIDING LESS INTERRUPTION OF WORKFLOW

• Radiologists use no paper• Electronic organization for the radiologist

and technologist• Cleaner workflow• Precision reporting has cut down on

transcriptionist need• Monitoring key indicators real time• Correctionist cuts time; increases accuracy

and efficiency

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AUTOMATED SYSTEM HAS CODING REQUIREMENTS EMBEDDED, SO THE TECHNOLOGIST, REFERRING PHYSICIAN IS EMPOWERED

• Clinical team effort• Real-time worklist: Stat reads, ER needs,

procedure scheduling• Fewer interruptions for radiologists• Critical results reporting are fast, intensivists

and ER physicians have been very satisfied with the turn around times

• Reports available minutes after scans

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REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS ARE WELL DEFINED, CODING CALL BACKS HAVE BEEN GREATLY REDUCED• Quality is enhanced via clinical data included in

reports• Operating in a proactive mode with regards to

reimbursement; contrast; dose• RIS-PACS-Reporting solution has partnered us

with the financial department more timely billing

• Real-time access creates a great bond with referring physicians team effort

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RADIOLOGISTS WANT EFFICIENCY, SEAMLESS WORKFLOW

• Empowering radiologists with information for referring physicians

• Quick critical test results management• No downtime with system enhancements• Tracking metrics, report turnaround times• Cleaner workflow• Better coding and billing

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ADDING VALUE TO SPECIALTY READS

• Assist specialists• Review image/s ASAP to make

recommendations for treatment, ie orthopedics• PACS image dislocation advise PA on next

steps while looking at images• Foster bonds between departments

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RADIOLOGISTS RELY ON TECHNOLOGY & TRANSPARENCY

• Technology needs to be seamless • Radiologists need information delivered

efficiently and instantly• Upgrades need to be automatic and invisible• No downtime

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TRACKING KEY METRICS

• Radiologist productivity – annually • Quality assurance cases• Report turn-around time• Precision reporting has brought excellent gains

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TECHNOLOGIST PRODUCTIVITY CAN BE BETTER MANAGED

• Agility in staffing changes – via time flow studies

• Clinical tools to track patients / quality tracker• Track wait times by modality• Managers have robust conversation’s with staff

based on actual data• Assess and discuss workload

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TRACKING IMAGE QUALITY

• Folders in RIS/PACS• Tag suboptimal exams for review with

technologist for QA• Images for weekly and daily conferences• Enables teaching moments • Review with staff

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PRECISION REPORTING PROVIDES COST SAVINGS WITH STAFFING REDUCTIONS

• Reduced 2 FTEs in viewing room through attribution

• Precision Reporting enabled another 0.7 FTE reduction

• Keep the technologist at the scanner• Faster bed time turn-arounds• Better patient scheduling

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RADIOLOGY BILLING IS VERY QUICK & EFFICIENT

• Billing service has gone from 72 hours to 12 hours

• Radiologist’s efficiency, reporting to referring physician is quick and easy

• Automated transcription, sign report instantly or send to correctionist

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BIG ‘AH HA’ MOMENTS – PRECISION REPORTING

• Smooth implementation• 3-day adoption of radiologist self correction

impresses the management group• Correctionist is key to formatting and

imbedding images• Finished product is timely and accurate

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TECHNOLOGIST ADDING TO THE QUALITY OF INFORMATION FOR THE END PRODUCT• Higher quality data• Compliance is enhanced• Part of a larger team – each having an impact• Tracking patient population for protocol studies• Add value without former resistance of staff

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ENHANCING CARE FOR PATIENTS

• The system is patient driven• Physician’s time becomes more efficient• Physician can focus on patient care and finding

disease, and make sure the referring physician is getting information needed ASAP

SPONSORED BY:

LIVE Q&A

Leah J. Denton, RT(R) Director, Diagnostic

Imaging Rutland Regional Medical Center

Rutland, Vermont

Mary C. TierneyVP, Chief Content Officer,

TriMed Media GroupProvidence, RI, USA

J.C. Biebuyck, MDMedical Director, CT Services

Rutland Regional Medical CenterRutland, Vermont

Presenter Presenter Moderator