Enterprise Imaging Platform Ready to Go in Teaching Hospitals

One sophisticated and comprehensive platform, presented by AGFA (Mortsel, Belgium) at this year’s European Congress of Radiology (ECR), enables faster and better decision-making and embraces all potential challenges associated with collaborative workflow and mobile scenarios.

This year, the company’s Enterprise Imaging platform extends even further incorporating views that are radiology and medically-centric as well as appropriate to the patient, and the general practitioner (GP). All are available at a regional, intra-, and extramural level.

“Our platform is ready for each case scenario in hospitals or across regions within countries,” explains Mr. Hans Vandewyngaerde, President Agfa HealthCare Region Europe. It is also ready to deal with a whole range of different scenarios in the radiology department.”

One of the most recent developments has been a radiology specific aspect of the Enterprise Imaging platform that has been refined for academic hospitals including support for multidisciplinary team meetings, teaching files, and residence/supervisor task based workflow.

Essentially, AGFA’s system comprises one platform for each and every scenario, emphasized Mr. Vandewyngaerde. “It is strong in flexible thought-driven workflow, meaning it is easily-configurable, accounting for different tasks from radiology per se, regional in nature, and patient or GP-oriented. It’s a workflow that is flexible and specifically task-driven.”

Radiology-oriented display protocols include post-processing tools for three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound, 3D volume building colonoscopy, integration with other 3D applications that are similar and completely embedded. Furthermore, the platform has a design requirement that ensures there are collaborative tools reflecting a move towards radiology connecting with other stakeholders for example, associated radiologists, patients, GPs and other healthcare workers.

Mobile tools are also front and center to the platform. “Today we clearly have a case requiring mobile sign off from radiologists with mobile reporting lists. The iPad is FDA [US Food and Drug Administration] approved for diagnostic viewing, and the platform is notable for operating on all web browsers and vendor neutral archives (VNA). These features of collaborative and mobile tools enhance the efficiency of workflow,” added Mr. Vandewyngaerde.

The trend towards using one integrated system is reflective of a robust move towards integration in healthcare systems generally. There are different drivers pushing for this type of imaging. “Firstly, there is a consolidation of hospitals that work together for cost reasons or that share workflow for diagnostic reasons, or because radiologists are not all available around the clock,” he explained. “Many hospitals are interested in referring to each other’s expertise for second opinions. The Netherlands is a clear case in point where hospitals are joining forces.”

Mr. Vandewyngaerde also highlighted that the move from vertical care to integrated care, which is strongly promoted by the European Commission and encourages multiagency and multidisciplinary working with a patient-centric view. “We see this happening now in the UK, and in Belgium, and in regions of Spain. It isn’t about intra-muros but an extra-muros approach with a patient who is more empowered and engaged in their healthcare,” he said, asserting that medical imaging was a classic example of how this works. With the Enterprise Imaging platform, the patient receives a notification advising the report is available with access to the image which they can share with their GP or for a second opinion elsewhere.

“If your imaging system is not configurable and does not support this workflow to operate with these approaches then you are lost,” concluded Mr Vandewyngaerde.

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