We’ve heard it all before, but once again much of the big
buzz at RSNA 2014 was about talking—about IT systems talking to one another with
interoperability of data. At the same time, radiology vendors had their heads in the clouds and their feet were
firmly planted on the ground, as virtual IT offerings expanded in new and
exciting directions during the events in the past, interoperability was also on
everyone’s minds with the ever-growing emphasis on Meaningful Use (MU).
IDS showcased technology that addressed both trends—its
unique IT interoperability cloud service,
which enables HL7 data to flow from a medical IT system to the AbbaDox cloud,
where it is transformed into a format compatible with an endpoint system,
typically in another customer location. It is then forwarded on as compatible
data. The unique AbbaDox
Interoperability cloud enables disparate systems to communicate as a customized,
managed, turnkey SaaS solution, with all the inherent benefits of cloud
technology.
While other vendors discussed custom interfaces and costly
onsite HL7 feeds, attendees flocked to the IDS booth to discuss this unique
interoperability offering.
Other IDS interoperability technology also included the new
AbbaDox Exchange cross-enterprise image and data exchange platform, which automates
radiology report distribution in a format compatible with any referrer’s
EHR.
When it comes to the
cloud, show attendees saw offerings introduced in a range of new categories with
many additional vendors looking at the cloud for the first time. This is good news for radiologists who want
to boost their functionality and efficiency with new IT implementations, while
minimizing maintenance and cost—all recognized benefits of software in the sky.
Cloud storage continues to be a major trend, while the
lowering of hardware costs are making cloud services prices more affordable
across the board. Also big at RSNA were
cloud-based image viewers with anywhere, anytime functionality, often paired up
with cloud-based vendor neutral archives (VNAs).
At RSNA, IDS showcased a truly unique cloud offering—Voice2Dox
speech recognition and reporting platform with cloud-based clinical speech
recognition by Nuance. Thanks to its unique cloud architecture, this next-generation
solution enables immediate access on any PC to user profiles, including
universal PACS worklists, custom report templates, individual speech profiles
and more.
After logging into Voice2Dox, radiologists dictate reports securely
to the cloud. Users talk at their own
pace with voice controlled features and immediate report visualization and
feedback. Thanks to cloud architecture,
wherever located, radiologists experience the same comprehensive reporting
environment and workflow as in their primary Voice2Dox work site. This includes
configurable master routines that ensure consistent reporting standards across
radiologists, automatic matching of recommended templates to exams, easy
embedding of key images and personalized medical vocabularies.
Voice2Dox reports also can be reviewed, edited and archived
from any location. They can be distributed
directly to referring physicians by fax, standard email and physician portal as
well as through MU-compliant Direct email as an EHR-ready file.
Also bringing new functionality to the cloud was IDS’
introduction of its cloud-based CRM v. 2.0, which features an innovative
interactive mapping function showing all potential and existing referrers
located in close proximity to a provider. The feature helps pinpoint strong
referral prospects, while highlighting the locations of practices already recommending
patients.
Map display can be filtered by medical specialty, current
relationship status and user defined fields. It also can identify clusters of
underserved regions to target appropriate physicians for new relationships and
monitor trends and referral patterns. The new CRM also features advanced new
architecture, enhanced database design, intuitive graphical interface, rich
analytics and a robust marketing toolset.
When it comes to interoperability, do
you feel many vendors are simply talking the talk without substance behind
it? What can we anticipate as the latest
innovations as cloud architecture expand into the future? The sky’s the limit. What do you envision?
