by
Carol Ko, Staff Writer | February 12, 2013
From the January/February 2013 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
In late 2011,Carestream threw its hat into the DR ring with the release of its first digital portable system, the DRX-Revolution. “Portable imaging systems have had the same basic designs for many years, with manufacturers making only small incremental changes,” says Helen Titus, marketing director of the digital X-ray division at Carestream. “One advantage that Carestream had in designing this new product was starting with a blank sheet of paper.” To help technologists better maneuver the machines through cramped, tight spaces, the machine’s collapsible column gives a clear, unobstructed view down hospital corridors. The model also features two touchscreen displays—one on the tubehead and one on the main console—to replicate the functionality of a DR room. “We wanted to design a portable experience from the ground up that would be as good for the technologist and radiologist as if the patient had gone to the X-ray department room,” Titus says.
Newer, faster DR imaging makes many bedside imaging procedures easier for both the physician and patient. For example, physicians at Boca Raton Regional performing patient tube and line insertions are now able to look on the monitor and see exactly where the line is placed, providing instant feedback that lets them know whether to adjust the line or proceed with treatment. “Prior to this,” says McNamara , “we would have to go to the bedside, take an X-ray cassette, take the image, go to the [processing] department on the first floor, and we’d have to process and send the image to a device where the physician could view it.”
Ad Statistics
Times Displayed: 37323
Times Visited: 1013 Stay up to date with the latest training to fix, troubleshoot, and maintain your critical care devices. GE HealthCare offers multiple training formats to empower teams and expand knowledge, saving you time and money
The hospital’s new Carestream machines also have another hi-tech feature that may see more widespread adoption in the future: radiofrequency ID proximity badges that log into the system with a swipe. “It enhances our workflow by making things more rapid,” McNamara says. “It’s improved staff efficiency and also takes care of HIPPA compliance, which is a high priority of ours.”
Room for improvement
Though brands like Shimadzu and Canon received high scores for power, sleekness and speed from customers surveyed by KLAS, the respondents also signaled that there’s still room for improvement, according to Kirk Ising, strategic operations director at the firm.
“I think obviously the major [needed improvement] is wireless bandwidth – it’s the biggest challenge that I’m hearing about. That being said, it’s still better than it was.” According to Ising, there are two main obstacles related to wireless functionality in portable systems: “One is getting the initial setup -- getting the data made available and getting IT on board with having a roaming computer that has access. Then you have dead spots – areas of poor bandwidth in the hospital.”
