Happy Birthday Radiology

RSNA 2014 Celebrates Sharing. . . and Keeping It to Yourself

RSNA 2014 was all about sharing—and not sharing!

This year marked the 100th annual meeting of the Radiology Society of North America (RSNA), and the society celebrated by creating an atmosphere of connection and kinship, while bringing history to life. Attendees shared in the spirit by diagnosing vintage x-ray images, witnessing a re-enactment of Wilhelm Roentgen's laboratory and checking out antique equipment.  A special memory book enabled meeting-goers to share memories of prior meetings.

From an IT standpoint, sharing figured prominently into this year’s event too, with the accent on cross-enterprise image and data communication to meet the growing mandates of healthcare reform.  At the same time, in the face of the myriad of financial challenges recent policy shifts present, one major element radiologists clearly did not want to share was their relationships with referring physicians.  Much of the talk on the RSNA floor was about ways to support referrers and revenues by enhancing service to clinicians.

At the event, vendors across the bustling halls focused on technologies that will help radiologists streamline interaction with referrers—making the life of both physician groups easier.  At the IDS booth, a major focus of excitement was the groundbreaking introduction of a platform supporting the twin goals of sharing . . . and not sharing.  New AbbaDox Exchange cross-enterprise image and data exchange platform supports automated radiology report distribution right to a referrer’s EHR.  With this efficiency and convenience, why would your referrer want to send patients anywhere else?

The new technology also supports the clinician’s ability to data share with any provider who has access to their patient records.  And, because it relies on Meaningful use (MU) Stage II compliant Direct Messaging, it brings referrers one big step closer to sharing in generous MU reimbursement. 

AbbaDox Exchange eliminates the complexity of HL7 data mapping, setup and maintenance as well as the time-consuming user input typical of other image sharing systems.  It blends seamlessly with existing workflow.

The subscribing facility’s images and radiology reports automatically and transparently flow to the AbbaDox cloud platform.  Based on information in the report, they then are forwarded to the referring physician’s Direct email address, along with a link to the related diagnostic quality images. After viewing, the EHR-ready communication can be saved in the referrer’s EHR system or other patient file. The Direct standards specify a simple, consistent way to send authenticated, encrypted health information directly to trusted recipients over the Internet.  Image links that accompany reports will also help referrers meet certain Stage 2 MU requirements.

The new IDS offering clearly was one of an exciting group of groundbreaking RSNA introductions that will keep radiologists positioned to thrive amidst the challenges of the future. Along with a look back, the RSNA 2014 provided a fascinating, not-to-be-missed glimpse of  what the specialty will look like during the next 100 years.  IDS is proud to have been a part of that picture.