Dynamic Healthcare Technologies
Dynamic will focus conferencegoers' attention on its CoMed for Results concept, which has added Internet capabilities to the Lake Mary, FL-based firm’s RadPlus RIS, e-Premier laboratory information system, and CoPathPlus anatomic pathology system. All three products are now available over the Internet on a pay-for-use subscription plan, according to Dynamic.
As part of CoMed (short for collaborative medicine), results, reports, and images are delivered over the Internet, integrating clinical and diagnostic information, according to the vendor. In addition, physicians using CoMed can transcribe and dictate clinical interpretations using voice recognition, compare current patient cases against archived clinical case studies, and collaborate with colleagues throughout the process, according to Dynamic.
Eastman Kodak Health Imaging/Cemax-Icon
A key theme for Kodak will be the benefit of integrating PACS technology with RIS/HIS networks, services that Kodak is now providing customers through its new PARIS business unit. In September, the Rochester, NY-based vendor acquired Icelandic RIS developer Computer Knowledge (CKI) and formed PARIS, which will be integrating CKI’s RIS with PACS technology provided by Kodak’s Cemax-Icon subsidiary.
EMC
EMC of Hopkinton, MA, will use its RSNA exhibit space to introduce its new HealthCare Solutions Group to the radiology marketplace. The new EMC unit will focus on information infrastructure, content delivery, and standards-based archiving for the healthcare enterprise, according to the firm. EMC will help customers manage, share, and protect their media assets, according to the company. The firm will also offer a host of information infrastructure offerings, including its Symmetrix and CLARiion information storage systems.
eMed Technologies
A big theme at eMed’s booth this year will be helping radiologists provide a better service to referring physicians, according to the firm. An online scheduling tool for clinicians will be demonstrated, as well as worklists and auto-assignment of results for appropriate personnel, features the Lexington, MA, company says will allow referring physicians to quickly and easily view exam results.
eMed’s on-demand PACS architecture, shown last year as a work in progress, is now commercially available as eMed Ideal. The on-demand format is designed to allow users to balance the reading load across all facilities, a benefit eMed says will allow customers to avoid deploying expensive high-bandwidth networks. Ideal supports both lossy and lossless compression, and can maintain images using both approaches, according to the firm. eMed is working to implement the DICOM JPEG 2000 compression standard, and will ensure that all of its wavelet-compressed images can be converted to the new format, according to the firm.
eMed will also introduce DataBridge, a RIS/PACS integration engine accessed through the company’s acquisition of Trilix Information Technologies earlier this year. In addition to integrating RIS and PACS networks, DataBridge can also help healthcare institutions without a RIS capture radiology results online by scanning paper reports.
eMed also now offers an electronic signature capability to allow radiologists to edit and sign transcribed reports from a workstation. RIS modules such as Web-based scheduling, registration, and procedure management are also available, according to the firm.
Images-on-Call
This teleradiology vendor has added digitizers from Vidar to its product offerings. In addition to the new digitizers, the Dallas-based firm will be displaying new image capture software featuring image parsing. This capability allows the scanner to divide films into sections in one pass, allowing users to get many different images from one film. Images-on-Call believes this is beneficial to users who are not employing high-resolution monitors, according to the firm.
In other new additions, the firm has added a new graphical interface for windowing/leveling, which confers a "trackball" feel, according to the company. The new interface also features a comparison mode for old/new soft tissue or bone, as well as T1/T2 comparisons.
IMCO Technologies (formerly Rogan Medical Systems)
Making its RSNA debut as IMCO following this year’s management buyout from Dutch PACS firm Rogan Medical Systems, IMCO’s booth will feature a format similar to the IHE exhibit. Four image management modules will be demonstrated, including: a small to mid-size hospital; a mid to large-size hospital; an imaging center; and a private radiology practice.
In new product developments, the Pewaukee, WI-based firm will address regional image archiving, as well as ASP-based image delivery, according to IMCO. Web-browser capability for retrieval and review of images will be featured, as will the company’s new fee-per-use approach for the acquisition of image management systems.
In archiving additions, IMCO will exhibit Advanced Intelligent Tape (AIT) and DVD-powered storage approaches. In addition, the firm will showcase an advanced video capture module designed to bring legacy imaging modalities into an image management network. IMCO will also announce several partnerships at the meeting to allow the company to offer CR and DR systems and HIS/RIS networks to customers, according to the firm.
Image Technology Laboratories
ITL will make its debut at the RSNA meeting, showcasing its work-in-progress ITLPACS. The Windows NT-based ITLPACS is highlighted by a stand-alone touch-screen monitor that handles all workstation controls. With this approach, radiologists don’t need to type or click mice to control the workstations, according to the Kingston, NY-based firm.
In addition to the formal dictated report, a separate voice file containing other physician notes -- the digital equivalent of "sticky notes"-- can also be embedded along with patient data, according to ITL. After the RSNA show, ITL will apply for FDA 510(k) clearance, and the company expects to have its first installations in the second quarter of 2001.
Inphact
This PACS and teleradiology ASP will feature the latest version of its RadWeb product for Web-based access to images, reports, and dictation. The Nashville-based firm has added an enhanced viewer, including measurement tools, thumbnails, and comparison study options.
Inphact will also debut version 2.0 of its Irix radiology information system. Irix has now been converted to a browser-based application, allowing RIS functionality to be delivered over the Internet, according to the firm.
In other new improvements to Irix, the firm has added an Oracle database back-end, a more robust database that allows the firm to develop customized facility reports, according to Inphact. A thin-client application has also been incorporated, enhancing Irix’s dictation and transcription features.
In other new features, version 2.0 will require a reason for exam cancellation, and sound can now be supported over a wide area network. This allows users to hear dictation files over the WAN, prior to the report being transcribed, according to the firm.
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Agfa through Amicas
Artesian through DR Systems
Dynamic through Inphact
InsiteOne through Rogan
Sectra through Toshiba
