Cardiovascular Business - July/August 2008 - (Page 18)

Image IntegratIon › By C.P. K aiser ECG Image Management Seamlessly integrating eCg information into electronic medical records is imperative in today’s totally connected medical enterprise. managing eCg image capture and report generation leads to a more efficient use of resources, as well as better patient outcomes. Brings Increased Productivity and Confidence O ne of the challenges of ECG image management is to have the images available across the enterprise for a wide range of clinical purposes and use. Typically, ECG workflow is faster, with a higher volume of records, than other cardiovascular data. Many times, older ECG acquisition equipment does not interface well with new equipment, which presents a problem to many departments and practices as they move toward replacing their older analogue ECG systems. The latest generation of ECG image management systems can dramatically improve rapid access to ECG exams throughout the enterprise via integration with the hospital electronic medical record (EMR). Productivity can be increased because ECGs can be displayed faster and interpreted more quickly—even remotely from a physician’s laptop. While many of the EMRs are fairly intuitive and straightforward, there is a learning curve. These systems are expensive in hardware and software, as well as in training time for physicians and staff. One of the first things needed before implementing an EMR is a strong commitment from leadership. “If you don’t have a firm commitment from leadership about the value of an EMR, don’t implement it,” says Dan Caldwell, MBA, executive director of Little Rock Cardiology Clinic in Arkansas. “Many people who manage groups have lost their jobs because the EMR implementation turned out to be more difficult and expensive than antici- iMPaX Heartstation from agfa Healthcare is a vendor-neutral data management solution that automates the processing and storage of electrocardiograms. pated. If the leadership doesn’t back you up in those situations, someone has to fall.” When implementing an EMR, it’s important also to manage the expectations of your physicians and staff. “You want to let them know it will be disruptive,” Caldwell says. “You want to get your physicians to spend time discussing this issue.” He advises to be straightforward about the process, that it will be frustrating in the beginning. Disruptive, but worth it Little Rock Cardiology Clinic slowly began implementing an EMR (NextGen Healthcare Information Systems) into its practice in mid-2007 and has since incorporated a digital ECG image management system. In a busy practice like Little Rock (one of the top in the country in terms of productivity per physician, says Caldwell), they had to be careful the EMR implementation would not be too disruptive. “Even with an intuitive system like NextGen, implementation is difficult and disruptive. It takes time to train people and many physicians do not want to take the downtime to train,” Caldwell says. Having said that, he emphasizes that within four to six 18 Cardiovascular Business July/august 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Cardiovascular Business - July/August 2008

Cardiovascular Business - July/August 2008 Table of Contents First Word Cover Story: Planning for the Ideal Cath Lab Requires the Multidisciplinary Approach Clinical Study Digest: Cell Phone Technology Speeds Ecgs As Real-Time 3d Echo Matures, It Finds a Clinical Niche Ecg Image Management Brings Increased Productivity and Confidence Overcoming Barriers to Cath Lab Inventory Control Maximizing Reimbursement, Minimizing Penalties News & Views Calendar Reader Resources The Back Page

Cardiovascular Business - July/August 2008

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