The group developed the protocol to ensure that nonurgent findings requiring additional imaging were reliably communicated to the healthcare providers taking care of the patients, said presenter Dr. Jonathan Movson of Lifespan in Providence, RI.
When radiologists encounter a nonurgent imaging finding, they insert a macro at the end of the report using their PowerScribe speech recognition system (Nuance Communications). Next, a Cloverleaf interface engine recognizes the specific characters in the macro system. A copy of this report is then sent to iProcess (TIBCO Software), an application used by personnel at three affiliated hospitals for reviewing and processing these reports, according to the researchers.
At that point, the patient's primary care physician -- or, if necessary, the patient -- is contacted. These communications are also documented and sent to the electronic medical record, according to the team.
"The system we developed has been successfully implemented and is working as designed," Movson told AuntMinnie.com. "It is seamless for the radiologist but requires dedicated resources to make it work."
