Measuring the Benefits of a Regional Imaging Environment

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Health Services Research
• Radiology

Background:

• Central diagnostic imaging repositories (DIRs) facilitate data sharing across disparate Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS).
• Foreign Exam Management (FEM) within DIRs allows clinical users to access external diagnostic imaging (DI) exams and reports.
• Measuring the benefits of DIRs and FEM implementation presents challenges, similar to those encountered when transitioning from film to PACS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document the measurable benefits of central DIRs and FEM implementation for all stakeholders.
• To explore the challenges in quantifying the value of foreign exams accessed through DIRs.
• To investigate the clinical user's perspective on the use and value of these foreign exams.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from regional DIRs in Canada where FEM has been implemented.
• Reporting on the number of foreign exams transferred from DIRs to individual sites.
• Gathering qualitative results from clinical users regarding the use and value of foreign exams.

Main Results:

• While DIRs easily report the volume of transferred foreign exams, this metric alone does not capture clinical utility.
• Quantifiable benefits were hypothesized to be understated due to data gathering complexities.
• Targeted analysis and qualitative user feedback are crucial for a comprehensive understanding of DIR benefits.

Conclusions:

• The implementation of central DIRs and FEM offers significant potential for improved patient data access.
• Accurate measurement of benefits requires methodologies that go beyond simple exam transfer counts.
• Combining quantitative data with qualitative user insights provides a more compelling picture of the value of DIRs and FEM.