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By Jef Williams, MBA, CIIP, PMP
We continue to fight an uphill battle when it comes to true interoperability, and it is especially challenging for those of us in imaging! We are all trying to figure out how to ingest outside images, share data across several PACS, satisfy our radiology groups, and improve patient throughput while making them happier and achieving better outcomes. And then along comes enterprise imaging. What?!? With so much talk about VNAs, enterprise viewers, workflow engines, and reporting and voice recognition solutions; and the introduction of crazy terms like “deconstruction,” “redefinition,” “PACS-centric,” and “federation,” it can be difficult to determine what solutions are best for your facility.
In reality, there are some valuable goals and objectives associated with the enterprise imaging model that can and should have a direct impact on departmental workflow. While we are solving problems at an organizational level, the most effective initiatives are tackling long standing challenges associated with managing data, reporting, notifications, workflow, and outcomes directly at the departmental level.
Exciting developments in ways to gain better access to image data, tools to support workflow across multiple systems, critical results and collaboration tools, and intelligent workflow that accommodates better resource and asset utilization are all now becoming readily available and will reshape how we deliver our services in radiology.
On Tuesday, August 2, Kim Garriott, Principal Consultant with Logicalis, Inc. (formerly of Cleveland Clinic), and I will be discussing some of these best practices in our session “Six Tenets to Enterprise Imaging Strategy” at the 2016 AHRA Annual Meeting. We will be applying years of hands-on experience to help radiology leaders understand how to best leverage imaging initiatives within your healthcare organization to make your department better.
Jef Williams, MBA, CIIP, PMP is a managing partner at Paragon Consulting Partners (formerly COO at Ascendian Consulting). He can be reached at jefswilliams@gmail.com.
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