Benefits of DR Systems PACS Featured by Center for Health Transformation
SAN DIEGO –Two hospitals using a DR Systems radiology PACS to improve efficiency and patient care are now featured on the website of the Center for Health Transformation (CHT). CHT is a leading organization in promoting healthcare information technology and was founded by Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The two hospitals honored as "Transforming Examples" are George Washington University Hospital and Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. CHT cites these facilities and several others as "transformational technologies and approaches that are helping create better health at lower cost."
In addition to DR Systems' recognition by the Center for Health Transformation, the prestigious KLAS® rating service recently named DR Systems the top healthcare IT vendor and the nation's top PACS company for 2006.
CHT recognized George Washington University Hospital (GW), in Washington, D.C., as a "Transforming Example" because of the way it employs the DR Systems radiology picture archiving and communication system (PACS). Among other features, GW uses both the PACS' advanced voice-recognition capability and template reports to improve patient care by speeding up radiology report turnaround time. Voice recognition is used at GW to generate reports for all radiology modalities except mammography and interventional radiology.
Reports by radiologists that used to take days to complete at GW are now sometimes completed in just a few minutes. Clinically, the fast turnaround time improves patient safety and the timeliness of diagnosing and treating emergency patients, because the reports give physicians complete radiology information on which to base crucial decisions. The PACS features have also dramatically reduced transcription costs -- by 50 percent in the first year alone.
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, in Santa Barbara, Calif., is featured on the CHT website, as well. The hospital's survey of referring physicians revealed a significant financial benefit for Cottage: Physicians who were pleased with the PACS performance were more likely to refer patients to the hospital. That, in turn, provided additional revenue to the hospital and enabled it to add more radiology capacity.
The survey also asked physicians about the value of significant capabilities of the PACS: montage images, Web access to images and reports, and quickly available voice clips. Large majorities of referring physicians found these features to be valuable in expediting patient care and improving physician productivity.
For more information, access www.healthtransformation.net and click on "Transforming Examples," then "Resource Center."
In addition to being named the top healthcare IT company and “Best in KLAS” PACS vendor for 2006, DR Systems was rated the #1 PACS vendor in the “KLAS PACS-Acute Care 2006 Report.” MD Buyline rated the company as the #1 PACS vendor for six consecutive quarters.
KLAS Enterprises, LLC is a prominent research and consulting firm that specializes in monitoring and reporting the performance of healthcare IT vendors.
About DR Systems, Inc.
DR Systems, Inc. is the leading independent provider of medical imaging and information systems for diagnostic imaging centers and hospitals. For 15 years, the company has helped over 250 hospitals and imaging centers improve the management of patient information, eliminate film costs, and increase workflow speed, all while providing better clinical quality and patient care. The company’s Unity RIS-PACS integrates numerous tools to improve financial performance and productivity, including: Web-based scheduling, image, report and voice clip distribution; patented, automated hanging protocols for radiologists; and the report format preferences of individual referring physicians. For more information, call 800-794-5955 or visit www.dominator.com.
