| Customer Stories
Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging - (PDF Version)
Situation
Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging is the only pediatric-focused imaging
center in the greater Milwaukee area. From its reassuring earth
color tones and photographs of children on all the walls, to the
state-of-the-art equipment, this center has put the needs of the
smallest imaging patients first. As Dr.Robert Wells, owner of the
center, puts it.“We have a space that ‘feels like home ’ for adults and
is enjoyable for kids.It is not institutional,and families report that
their kids feel very comfortable at PDI.”
The impetus for PDI is to bring quality pediatric imaging services out
into the community. The center is designed to provide extraordinary
access for families who need radiology services. This concept was
started at an existing outpatient imaging center in Northern Illinois.
The pediatric radiologists travel to this site once a week to perform
procedures and interpret imaging studies. A similar relationship was
later established with a site in Southeast Wisconsin. “It was a natural
extension to begin this service in Milwaukee,” says Dr..Wells.“Our
local pediatricians were demanding it for some of their patients as an
alternative to sending them into the hospital environment.”
The original floor plan for PDI was quite small and allowed only basic
modalities. An opportunity to move next door to a pediatric office
and have slightly more space helped expand PDI into a full-service
imaging center, with CT ,MR, ultrasound, fluoroscopy, and digital radiography. Managing the workflow of information,
images and reports from patient orders through distribution of results in the most productive way possible was crucial
to the center’s success. Now only a few months from “birth ”, PDI is already seeing patients from across southeastern
Wisconsin and has gained a very positive reputation in the community.
“In order to avoid errors and
improve quality, pertinent information must be easily entered
and disseminated to the right
people as quickly and efficiently
as possible. Our Fusion
RIS/PACS sends the study from
one worklist to another, bringing along all of the needed
information and putting me in
control of getting reports out
quickly.”
Requirements
Modalities and Workflow: A focus on children gave PDI some serious constraints when it came to technology. “Imaging of a child pushes the equipment to its limits,” says Dr..Wells. “Ethically,I wanted to minimize exposure to
radiation. Working with substandard equipment was simply unacceptable,from a modality and a software perspective.It made no sense to build a new facility and put in anything archaic.”
Accessibility: An emphasis on accessibility and patient convenience required an efficient scheduling system.
Quality:The commitment to high quality service mandated a reliable system for the collection of pertinent clinical
information, report creation, and information dissemination to the referring physicians.
Storage:The space constraints of the building made storage quite a
challenge.“Film storage was impossible, ”states Dr.Wells. “Piles of
paper also would be unacceptable.We needed a fully filmless and
paperless solution in order to manage with the limited storage space.”
Digital storage became a requirement in planning capacity for PDI ’s
projected growth.
Multi-site Workflow: Because the pediatric radiology group services multiple sites, PDI needed to ensure that information and images
could flow to the right location when needed.
Business Analysis: The ability to easily analyze business operations, including referral patterns, collections, personnel productivity, etc.
was an important requirement to drive good management decisions and optimally growing the business.
Distribution of Results: The ability to quickly turn reports around was particularly important, reducing worrisome time for parents and
providing early diagnosis and treatment for children.
Billing/Financial: Finally, PDI opted to take on its own billing responsibilities,and felt the most accurate and timely way would be to
have a billing system that was embedded within and driven by the RIS. This would ensure automated, accurate billing with same-day
invoicing,which would optimize cash flow.
Solution
Dr.Wells initially gained interest in the Fusion RIS/PACS solution from Merge Healthcare because of its positive reputation for accelerating
productivity, and the advantages of utilizing a Wisconsin-based vendor .In addition, his group had experience in using eFilm
Workstation, the basic Fusion visualization component, at the remote sites.“eFilm is the best workstation I have ever used,” says Dr.
Wells.“I get image disks from all over the state from facilities that use embedded viewers from various vendors,and eFilm is by far my
favorite.”
PDI was able to meet all of its requirements with the Fusion solution. Embedded document management has provided a virtually
paperless process. The elligence™ billing module, in combination with the Fusion RIS itself, provides all the needed support for internal billing management. The Referring Practice Portal has given PDI an effective way to provide images, reports and real-time study
status, communicating quickly with referrers and building referrals to PDI. Dr.Wells also has the ability to read studies from remote
sites, such as his home computer.
PDI was also able to include additional clinical applications in its Fusion solution. Dr Wells notes,“The evaluation of scoliosis is important to my business,so the AccuStitch application is an essential tool.”
Result
Dr.Wells feels that PDI has a smooth imaging business behind its warm environment. “It is extremely efficient to be able to see the clinical information and the images side-by-side. I am pleased that everything I need is on that monitor. The Fusion solution makes sure I
get accurate communication and can act on it quickly.”
Another result is that the Fusion solution does away with image and information confusion. As Dr.Wells notes,“It is virtually impossible to dictate a report on the wrong patient.” PDI technologists have been able to move patients through studies quickly, with the information tied to the images automatically.
PDI is also happy with the extremely fast turnaround of results to their referrers. “It is frustrating for a radiologist to do his or her part
and then have to wait for the ‘system’ to finish the report,” says Dr..Wells .“Now I feel in control.” The pediatric practice next door has
been very pleased, as evidenced by the steady stream of patients referred to PDI. Physicians at an ENT office in the building have been
sending patients of all ages “Yesterday we performed a CT examination of a 76 year old woman,” tells Dr..Wells.“She loved the warm
atmosphere, and her doctor was thrilled with the quick turnaround.”
Billing is no small task for an imaging center, but PDI has managed it easily with their Fusion solution. “Merge Healthcare is fantastic to
work with,” says Sue Knight, business manager. “We ’ve been trained well,and Merge provides excellent support when situations arise.
I am completely confident in our ability to manage this part of the business.”
“Not only are we a pediatric imaging center,but we are completely digital with cutting edge technologies,” concludes Dr..Wells. “We are
truly a unique imaging enterprise.”
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