GENEVA -- Carestream Health and the San Salvatore Hospital in the Province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo Region of Italy, are developing a module for the KODAK CARESTREAM Radiology Information System (RIS) that allows General Practitioners (GPs) within the region to directly book digital X-ray examinations for their patients and receive the results back on their PC. The first project of its kind in Italy, a pilot study is currently underway involving 60 GPs with plans to have the system fully operational with 90 doctors by the middle of 2009.

When a doctor identifies the need to carry out a routine X-ray s/he completes the clinical symptom form online, indicating a proposed period for the examination. On receiving the proposal, the hospital progresses the request according to the level of urgency and planned workflow within the radiology department. The doctor receives an immediate response of date and time and following the procedure receives feedback about the examination, the report and the images.

"We have set up a type of computerized round trip between the hospital and the GPs," explains Professor Carlo Masciocchi, Director of Radiology at San Salvatore de L'Aquila. "GPs can either book the investigation directly from their PC or ask the hospital to do it. In return, they receive the date of the examination to be notified to the patient. All this is in real time, with no queuing or waiting and no need for the patient to come to the San Salvatore Hospital several times."
It is also anticipated that the project will open clinician debate and dialogue with the aim of evaluating the relevance of each type of examination. The RIS module is developed to enable each patient to be paired with the referring physician and provide the hospital with relevant data about each examination request.

To-date feedback has been very positive with GPs not only accepting the new system, but also impressed by discussions about the aptness of the examinations to be performed.

"Evaluating how appropriate an examination is from a radiological point of view is highly relevant," added Professor Masciocchi. "Sharing knowledge will lead to better evaluation of the appropriateness of requests, progressive control over the demand for X-ray investigations and streamlining the services provided."

General Manager at the hospital, Roberto Marzetti added, "We have overcome initial uncertainty from GPs with this ambitious project and the relationship with Carestream Health has been the keystone. Carestream Health implemented our RIS/PACS system in 2005, becoming operational within the first month and the hospital completely filmless within one year. This timescale illustrates impressive operational efficiency."

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