Enterprise Imaging

Enterprise Image ManagementEnterprise Imaging (EI) puts all images generated in a health system into an indexed, digital archive. Clinicians can then immediately access images with relevant information on how, when, and where the image was acquired.

MTC delivers EI solutions to all image creating and using clinical specialties inside and outside the healthcare system, taking a genuine enterprise approach. We work with your team to develope a strategic plan to acquire, store, and distribute all other “-ologies’” images and carefully guide the implementation.

We’ll ascertain an accurate assessment of the magnitude of your unique EI environment and provide the critical resources and information needed to develop a complete strategy.

Enterprise Imaging Value

The benefits of EI impact both the enterprise and image-generating departments by providing the ability to:

  • Store images with appropriate documentation allowing exams to be billed and lost revenues recovered
  • Store exams in a central archive, which reduces departmental costs by eliminating manual image searches and since the images are accessible from the EMR, other clinicians benefit
  • Move images from departmental silos, which increases security, avoiding breaches and fines, and results in overall savings
  • Increase revenue, decrease cost, and avoid additional costs for every department that moves to the EI system

Beyond just radiology and cardiology, building a system that collects, indexes, manages, and communicates throughout the enterprise is well worth the effort despite the daunting size and complexity of the undertaking.

Key steps in developing a specific plan include determining the program’s scope, establishing a
governance structure, and implementing a comprehensive roadmap.

Enterprise Imaging Scope

To establish the scope of a successful EI implementation, one must:

  • Identify the image generating departments, image generators, and image consumers
  • Collect basic information on image use, such as whether they’re used to answer diagnostic questions, aid in performing specific procedures, or document and track a particular state like wound care
  • Collect information on each department, including technology acquisition, storage methods, ADT interface use (if applicable), mage volumes, current state workflows, and cross modality prior imaging needs

More information needed from each of the image generating departments are in the article
Developing an Enterprise Imaging System Plan: First Steps

Enterprise Imaging Strategy

Establishing a governing council is the first step in an effective EI implementation. The council usually includes IT operations, cardiology, radiology, and representatives from the other “ologies.”

The council decides the body, framework, and process to oversee the EI program, including technology, information, clinical use, and financial resources, and is responsible for:

  1. Developing the overall EI strategy and determining the roadmap, priorities, and criteria for candidates to move to the EI system
  2. Setting requirements for EI storage and selecting the image storage platform, the enterprise viewer, and specialty workstations (if required) for imaging generating departments

The council evolves as other departments are brought onto the EI system, and the EI strategy progresses to reflect changing technologies, clinical requirements, changing regulatory environments, and enterprise needs.

Run a Better EI Implementation with MTC

MTC services cover the entire life cycle of Enterprise Imaging: strategic planning, needs and technology assessments, workflow analysis, requirements generation, proposal assessment and contracting, implementation, and project management support throughout all phases.

We’ll facilitate a process that allows your stakeholders to make an informed decision in selecting technology and vendors that best satisfy their objectives.

Our specific methods are made to adjust to match each institution’s project and needs. Each step of the process is documented and reviewed to obtain input and consensus from all involved.

For your assurance, we’re happy to provide examples from other healthcare systems on how their EI scope and strategy were organized and defined.

Learn more about how MTC can help you develop an Enterprise Imaging system that will work now and grow with you well into the future.