Jonelle Marie Petscavage MD, MPH, Abstract Co-Author: Consultant, Medical Metrics, Inc

Timothy Yanchuck BS, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Timothy Elliott BS, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Douglas F. Eggli MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Compact discs (CDs) are the primary method for importing and viewing outside images. Historically, images are not added to the receiving provider's PACS. Thus, reference to the images days later is not possible and CDs can be misplaced or damaged. Addition of the images to RIS-PACS would enable easier comparison of examinations, prevent unnecessary reimaging and radiation, secure more permanent storage, and provide a more complete record. The purpose of our study was to institute a solution for integration of outside CDs with data in the RIS-PACS with a low error rate and simple human effort.

The Etiam LiteBox application was instituted as an enterprise-wide outside CD image exchange solution. It was instituted at main patient points of registration, including the emergency room, clinics, and inpatient floors. The application scans CDs and presents the end user with patient demographics for verification. The foreign ID is replaced with a local medical record number.  DICOM tags are automatically updated. CD images are forwarded to the receiver RIS-PACS and listed on the patient timeline as “outside-modality”. Total number of examinations imported were monitored to ensure adequate storage capacity. Number of CDs with incorrect patients, errors in demographic data, or unreadable file format were also documented.

Over a 22-month period, a total of 90,079 outside examinations were integrated into the timeline for viewing alongside our images.  There was an increase from a monthly mean of 1700 examinations imported during the first 6 months to a mean of 5324 examinations in the last 6 months. The solution was loaded on 352 devices at 61 patient care sites. An error rate of less than 1% was found, mainly due to the incorrect patient or more than one patient being listed on a CD or incompatible file format. Total storage space utilized was 1.2 TB.

Our study demonstrates the success of an application for importing electronic images into the medical record with the unique feature of providing accession numbers for the studies in the RIS. Continued growth of the system demonstrates the acceptance by the hospital enterprise and clinicians, and improvement of quality and efficiency of patient care.

An electronic image exchange application between CDs and the RIS solves the issues regarding misplacement of patient CDs, short term storage, and cumbersome network transfer of images.

Petscavage, J, Yanchuck, T, Elliott, T, Eggli, D, Outcomes of an Automated System of Importation of Outside Imaging Studies into the Radiology Information System.  Radiological Society of North America 2012 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 25 - November 30, 2012 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2012/12028888.html