Dear Imaging Informatics Insider,
Data analytics is one of the hot topics in imaging informatics -- it's easy to understand why in today's increasingly value-oriented radiology environment.
In a study presented at the RSNA 2015 meeting in Chicago, a team from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) described how analytics could be used to accurately identify patients who have the highest risk of not showing up for their imaging study. Given that missed appointments can negatively impact patient care and cost radiology departments millions of dollars in lost revenue, these types of analytics applications could yield significant value. Click here for our coverage.
If institutions are concerned that adopting clinical decision support (CDS) software for ordering imaging exams will drive referrers away, there's likely no reason to worry. Another study from MGH found that CDS did not contribute significantly to the number of imaging studies that were initially ordered by referring providers but were ultimately performed at unaffiliated hospitals or imaging centers. Click here for the details.
A team from UT Southwestern Medical Center found that radiology departments could save thousands of dollars and improve patient satisfaction by implementing online patient prescreening for MRI studies. How did the team do it? Click here to find out.
Patients want to access their imaging studies quickly via online portals, and they would also be interested in getting their results directly from radiologists, according to researchers from the University of California, Irvine. Learn more by clicking here.
PACS consultant Michael J. Cannavo was also on hand at RSNA 2015, and his PACSMan Awards are always a must-read. You can find his article here.
Health information exchange (HIE) systems may be able to save money by decreasing the number of repeat imaging studies, but additional savings would be realized if even more repeat CT or MR exams could be avoided, according to a study from Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. Click here to learn more.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is taking an interest in how well healthcare institutions are staying on top of their PACS maintenance responsibilities. Find out why by visiting here.
Do you have an idea for a story you'd like to see covered? As always, please feel free to drop me a line.
Happy new year!
